The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-10-03
SONGS OF WORKERS.
HOW LABoR,s BURDENS ARE LIGHT
ENED BY MUSIC AND SINGING.

Their Counterpart at the Present Time.
Songs of European Working People.
Music Work InspIrer.
There is scarcely an occupation, certainly
none that demands unity of purpose and reg
ularity Of attack, that has not, or has not had
its own peculiar kind of song or accompany
ing chant. Tho anvil, the loom, the dairy,
the field the wharf, the plantation, ay, and
even the Golfers dreary world, are each in
themselves an incentive to some sort of music,
and their laborers in all parts make for them
selves, il not a pleasing recreation, at any
rate soothing monotony by grooming, or
humming, or chanting, some rhythmical
measure. Athenasus has preserved the Greek
names of different songs as sung by various
trades, but unfortunately none of the songs
themselves There was one for the corn
grinders, another for wool workers, another
for weavers; the reapers had their carol, the
herdsmen song composed by Sicilian OK
driver; the kneaders, the bathers and tho
galley rowers were not without their chant
1t is still the custom In Egypt and In Greece
to carry on an immense labor by an accom-
paniment of music and singing; hence the
story of Amphion building Thebes with his
Tyre. In Africa to this day the laborers on
the plantations at Yaoorie work to the sound
of q drum.
Almost all these old Grecian trade songs
nave tneir counterpart at tne present time'
IN some lana, II hoO universally. Inc corn
grinders song Is imitateu on the RUSSIAN
wnarves, wnere the women sing IN chorus as
tney crush the gram ior exportanoni the
weaVcrs IN Ayrshire, wnere are SUN 10 De
FOUND the almost absolute hand looms, Groom
some weird highianu tune as tney SIT at tnelr
work. the reapers ia Hussia nave 1neir Wheat
chorus ana rye cnorus' ana tne haymakers IN
many countries nave speciai songs OF their
own. The peautirul chansons dc vendange,
or vineyard songs, OF the champagne district
are world renowned ior tneir harmonious
gayetyi tnese, hRe Tue "heao gatherers
chorus IN Russia, are sung III procession the
men ana women, eacn Win pasket on tneir
arm, assemble al inc 1901 OF q NH, ana, stop
ping there, arrange themselves IN a circiei
one OF them tnen bursts INTO Joyous song,
tho burthen OF IL Is enorused; then they
ascend and aisperse IN tne vineyard ana work
and sing. NO" ana again new couplets VIII
resouna from some Oh tne uressers.
Inc herdsmens songs nve To-Day IN the
cantons OF Swiczerlailu ana on inc VIDE Mex
lean plains. texas PROVIDES hog leeaers with
a duty That IL hob poetic Is certainty realistic
IN TONG. Inc kneaders must nave suggested
inc cnaho au pouianger OIL tne preau eatng
france Oh today, ana tne gaiiey rowers nave
numoeriess imitators IN the venetian condo
hers, the Niie ooatmen, ana the chinese
tracNers, WHOSE songs nave peconle SO uiucn !
part Oh themselves onae one never ehinks Oh
9issoela1ihg then,. ~. johnson noeea IN the
highlands tnat e.e serokes OF tne SICKLE were
tinlea py inc iiouuiauion OIL me harvest song
III when All tho laDorers' voices were united.
Ihey accompany every actlon whieh can DC
done IN equal time WIN an approprlaoe STRAIN,
which has not much meaning, but ITS effects
arc regularity ana cheerIniness. Like the
Greek herdsinen ana shepherds Oh OLD, the
scotch nave their sneep farmers songs ana
their heruers' enoruses, anu even tne pogapo
workers IN ayrshire Vneir own style Oh sing
ing wnllo they pursue thelr occupation. Amy
! evening IN august you may see picturesque
looking group o. women vending sneir nome
waro way ana singing as tney go aiongi Tue
orignC rea hercllisl euey aoope Us neaageal,
anu Vneu ser'peu Pee.icoats onu paie zee,
are quite feature IN ene inosD pastoral Oh al
Scollanos couhIies,
FROM the craaie 70 Inc grave song Is Inc
constant companion OIL Inc t.ussiahs ilie' ~
y lno ueAsne oi oo.n sexes ailu ol every asc.
Inc sports OF cnlionoou, tno pleasures OIL
youth, ana eli pue Varleu occupations Oh inn-
ture years nave eacn tneir o own aPproPriu. :,
accompaniment Oh song Inc Ahorovod
is inc cnoral uance WIN wnlcn russian boys ,o
ana girls greeo tho approach OF spring Inc
.laplachki' o.. waiiing songs Drihg rehet 70
the grier strlchen. Inc bynnas," long
metricai roinances sung OF recioea py Vinage
mlnstreis, supply inc epic oieinen1 py RECORD.
ing famous historic e1pioilsi ana even tnat
moso prosaic Oh enip'oynenus-ioading WIN
grain the SHIPS lying IN tne wharr--add some
beautiiul melodies 70 inc repertoire OF hus-
sian national song the women VINO carry on
the work singing IN cnorus tne wniie Inc
vaudevines tnac arc 80 prominent q feature
IN inc repertoire Oh rrencn recreatlon songs
To-Day originated as songs Oh iaoor. tnere
was once iuiier OK Vau ae Vire, OF inc val
Icy by the river yire' VINO used 70 make ms
men sing as they spread tneir ciotns on tne
panK Oh tne river. osuaiiy tne theme wouid
DO some mcidenp OF adventure OF tne Jay,
set 70 rhytnmicai measurei ana tnus from
the labor OF the apprentices Oh ruler on
the banks OF the Vire we get the gay, roll
licking songs that resound from every music
hall and cafe In faris.
MIL songs are especially common IN NOT
mandy, and nave character Of tneir own.
Their couples are won't 70 consist OF TWO
lines with a refrain, ana the refrain Is inc
principal part OF tne song Auvergne Is
famous Tor its pourries' ana burgundy 10
Italians have no special labor songs; they
seem to enliven their working hours with
snatches of national music, and In Tuscany
you may hear the straw plaiters singing as