Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-28
Who Writes our Songs!

The musical composer who really furnish
es the great M iority of our songs, and whose
productions have the widest popularity among
the masses Of our people, is known to very
few otthem, even by reputation. The new
melodies that greet the public ear month al
ter month, and are sung, whlStied, and hum
med by tlVusands-ttat are thumped On
piano-tortcs, thrummed on b%anioe,, breathed
in flutes, tortured into variations. and enjoy Il
wide, though, after all, eyanescent popularity.
are chiefly the product Of one fertile brain
and that brain. "a MIR. Micawber would say,
is the brain appertaining to MIR. Stephen u.
Foster. This gentleman is Il native ot Pitts
burg. and has spent all his days there, ex-
cepting three years in Cincinnati, and tw"
New York. lie was born on the 4th ofJuly,
lo26, and is, therefore, now III his thirty
third year. His father. Mr.. William b.
Foster, was a pittsburg merchant, ID member
of the State Legislature, afterwards mayor
Of Allegheny City, and subsequently, occu-
pied an official post under the federal gov
ernmemt. His oldest sister is the wife Of the
Rev. +. Y. Buchanan, the only brother Of
the President Of the United States. Stephen
Il. Foster is the youngest Of his family.
lie enjoyed but limited opportunities for
musical instruction, and took but few lessons.
When nineteen years old, he composed for II
social auartctte club of which he was a menu
Der his first successful song, the popular ia
yorite, ''Uncle Ned" 1t was shortly after
ward sung at ii public CONCERT in Cincinnati
and received such applause that Mr.. VIM. L.
Peters, the music publisher i'll that city, re-
quested the privilege Of publishing it. which
was ut once granted. Mr.. Foster next COM
posed Susanna" which was more simple in
It's style, and became even more popular. In
Il private letter Mr.. Foster writes:
Il had up to this time neither received nor
thought Of any pecuniary remuneration Tor
INV efforts in the musical line. Imagine my
delight, therefore, Oh receiving for my next
song one hundred dollars in cash, Though
this song was not successful, yet the W fifty
dollar notes which ! received for it had the
effect Of starting me in my present vocation
of a snng-writer.'
1t would render this article too much
like Il catalogue of popular and stan
dard music" Ia give a list OF Mr.. Eos
ter's songs. ..Massa's in the Cold Ground. y
odd Kentucky Home Hi. Boys, Car
ry me Long," Nelly was a Lady" and
odd Folks at Home" may be mention
ed as among the most popular. Ills "su
sauna" melody has been seized by many
pianists, (among whom may be mentioned
Herr and Thalbergy ~ 4 medodic theme
peculiarly suited for treatment with variations,
and some of the other negro melodies have
obtained an equal popularity. Nor Is this
popularity merely u local one. In many OF
the Southern States Mr.. Fosters songs have
been adopted by the slaves 10 enllven them
in their corn husklngs and field la 'ors.-
Their fame has also or Ssed the ocean.
Ethiopian ministreIsy. a. 1t is called, has,
however, eliminated. and is now IN Its decline.
Approaching this fact, Mr. Foster has lately
somewhat changed his style, and abandoning
the use Of negro .jargon, he now writes songs
better adapted for general use. While the
melodies exhibit a decided improvement, the
words are rythmical, always unexceptlonabie
in point of moral, and as good, POLITICALLY con-
sidered, as the majority OF songs. We do not
say that Mr.. Foster melodies can he COM
pared with those that have immortalizcd the
names of Burns. Barry Cornwall, or Thomas
Moore; but We do maintain that the compos-
er who produced such popular and pleasing
songs as 'Gentle Annie willie We have
Missed You" Maggie 10y my side" Il See
Her Still in my Dreams" Old Dog Tray
'..Icannic with the Light Brown Hair, Ac.,
deserves an honorable mention, ~ one "i
those who has enlarged the pleasure OF thou
sands.
The reason of the popularity of Mr.. Eos
ter's songs lie, in their easy, flowing melody
the adherence to plain chords i'll the accom-,
paniments, and the avoidance of intricacy
in the harmony on embarrassing accldentais
in the melody. They have a family resembl'
arcr. but not greater than the simpler mclo'
dies Of Bellini and Donizetti, and the roinpos'
err is no more truly open To the charge OF self
plagiarism than are those Italian mcl"dists
. And, as Mr.. Foster is still young, he my i'm
prove and elevate his style, till lie attain> 4
musical reputation that will be more than
enhelncral.-.NeT 1nIK I"&.
Who is to Decided