The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-27

There are millions of American patriots
who couldn't sing two lines Of Star
Spangled Banner" correctly if their life de-
pended on 1t. Hail, Columbian on the
contrary, IS American in air and word, and
was played for President George Washing
ton at his Inauguration in New York.
The French government issued volume
| some time ago containing twenty-five an
themS, but the most complete collection
ever issued was that of Germany, which
| contained sixty-one. Prof. SouSa's collec-
ton contains ll6 anthems and he is max
ing an effort through the state department
TO obtain sixty more. The 116 songs, which
Prof. Sousa now has, represent the labor of
thirteen wears.
Il obtained my material in many curious
ways, said Prof. Sousa, discussing it yester-
day. 81 hunted through the works of
explorers for the themes of many of the
hymns. Others were sung to me by those
who were familiar with them. obtained the
Nautch dance of Bengal from a gentleman
VINO had lived many years in India, and
who hummed it for me. The members of
the foreign legations here supplied some of
my material. The Brazilian AM hem OBJ
tanned fro II party of Brazilians who
visited the United states two wears ago
When the Princess Kapiolani was here last
year L obtained the national anthem of
Hawaii. Six years ago, when the Siamese
ENJOYS came to Washington, | obtained
from one of them the air of the Siamese
national anthem. l hsrmonized it, and the
next day l played it at the white house
when they called on the President
The sweetest of the hymAs in my posses
sion is that of the Malay Pirates,'" said
Prof. Sousa. at is perfect dream music. |
have song of the North American Indians,
procured from the Indians in Vancouvers
Land, which | may add to the collection.
have anthems from the CelebeS is ands,
from Java, Polynesia, Zanzibar, Cashmere,
Samoa, the FIJI islands, and a great many
other strange places Most of the savage
music is in the minor. One Of my best ex-
ample5 is an American song, which begins
in G major and ends in A minor l. Is
against all the rules of harmony, but the
arrangement is very sweet, nevertheless.
have three Chinese songs, none of them
very attractive, but two japanese songs
which are in the collection, have a great
deal of merit. l have three Abyssinian
songs"
These songs will be arranged to be played
| at the executive mansion at diplomatic re-
ceptions, and whenever special ENJOYS are
entertained by the President. 1t is not at
| all likely that the Malay pirates will think
| TO send an envoy to the Uuitod States, but
there are many nations which do not keep
ministers resident at Washington which
| may send represent ative to the capital of
our country at any time. The next time
that Siam sends ENJOYS. to
| the United States, it will not
be necessary for Prof. Sousa to hunt
them up to obtain their national an
them. By the way, there Is a story con-
| nected with the Siamese and their anthem.
| When they had transacted their business at
the capital, they went to New York, There
was a horse show at Madison square gar
den, and Gilmore's band was playing there.
| Hearing that the Slamese would visit the
show. Gilmore sent to Prof. Sousa for his
arrangement of the national anthem. When
the SIamese visited the garden their en-
trance was greeted with the playing of their
| national hymn. The following morning a
Boston paper published a story of the re-
markable way in which Gilmore obtained
the music. 1t said that he had come upon
| it in volume of rare music abroad. and
had brought it back with him. When the
Siamese were announced he looked in his
portfolio, and, as fortune would have it,
there lay the music. 1t was quickly dis
trihuted to the mu sicians, who played it on
sight. Gilmore is an adept at advertising,
and he could not allow so good an oppor-
tunity to escape. Prof. Sousa did not take
the trouble to correct the story and it had a
wide circulation.