Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-26

An interesting figure in New York IS
Dave Braham, whose inimitable songs have
delighted and captured the hearts of hun
dreds of thousands of music lovers. And
yet personally, he is known to but few
people. This fact occurred to me as l met
him on Broadway not long ago. He is
rather short and stout, his hair is about the
same color as Anton Seidls, iron gray, but
much shorter, and he wears mustache of
the same color. In appearance he has
changed but little since the old days of
Harrigan & Hart, at No. 5l4 Broadway,
although he must be now well along in the
fifties. True, his eyes do not sparkle as
they used to. but this would have happened
to anyone who sat for so many years in the
full glare of the footlights and welded
leaders, baton in the orchestra. He was
quietly but neatly dressed, and walked
along with firm, springy step.
The name of Dave Braham has become
inseparably connected with that of Ned
Harrigan, whom some one has called the
Dickens of America, by reason of the tune
full melodies to which he has set the words
of Harrigan's songs. Ever since Harrigan
has become at all successful Braham has
written the music for his plays, and they
have both won for him fame and fortune.
1t was happy combination, this of Braham
and Harrigan, almost as fortunate as that
of Gilbert and Sullivan, although there is
little in common between the authors of
1.-The Gondoliers' and 'Reilly and the Four
Hundred"
Braham's light, catchy airs are pictur-
esque setting to the realistic scenes of life
among the lowly in New York that Harr.-
gan loves to draw so well. The characters
are simple, so are the songs, so is the music.
Braham himself AYERS that almost any of
his songs can be learned in an hour or so by
any one who has any ear for music at all.
Any one who has ever attended an opening
performance of one of Harrigan's plays and
heard the Boys whistle and hum the airs of
the songs on their way home after the play
was over, will bear witness to this. Per-
haps he may have unconsciously done the
same thing himself.
This, then, is the secret of Braham's sue
cess, at least he thinks so himself. His
songs are light and catchy, and are easily
learned. Only few months ago the whole
country was singing maggie Murphy'S
Home" and not inconsiderable portion Of
1t is doing so yet, especially on the east side
of this city, where every family with any
musical pretenSions at all has a copy OF
Dave Braham's songs in the house, A
couple of years ago Paddy Dufy's Cart
had the call, and it may be said that this
scene from ''Squatter Sovereignty" has
been acted in the streets of lower New
York, irate owner Of the wagon and all,
more faithfully than ever it was on any
stage.
Dave Braham's whole soul is conferred in
his family and his music. His children are
all musical, his Oldest son, George, playing
first violin in his fathers orchestra. Bra
ham is in comfortable circumstances, and it
is no secret that he has come to the finan-
cial assistance of Ned Harrigan, who is his
son-in-law, more than once He (Braham)
has coy home in Harlem. There he
spends most of his time with his family,
writing music. He works Systematically
and is a ready composer. All the members
of his orchestra have been with him for
years. and are In full sympathy with him.
In fact, it may be said of Braham's orches-
ira as of Harrigan's company of players,
"Few die and none resign
The Author of "Betsy and Are Out"
saw Will Carlton, the poet, the other
day. His appearance is somewhat peculiar
admixture of the poet, the athlete and the
business man, and if any one could pick
him out for either one or all of these he
would not be far out Of the way. for Mr..
Carleton is all three at times. Whoever
has conceived the notion that poet is
either dropping, lackadaisical Bunthorne
.&w1,.r,