The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-01-16
MErAMoRpHosED SONGS.
Airs Almost Identical Doing Service d
Very Different CspacitieG


Very Dinsrent Capaclties
There are many songs which were
composed In the time of Charles IL
whose music is In vogue to-day whose
words were OF the most UNANIMOUSLY
indecent description originally. says
the Boston Musical Herald. Henry
Purcell. to the shame OF that epoch
be It said. brought forth many OF these.
But since even Shakespeare ut times
descended to the level of his age We
need not too bitterly blame the musical
genius (the greatest that England ever
produced) for trying to earn an oc-
casional shilling by turning out such
wicked musical compositions. Some
OF tho early English ballads tell Of
times OF persecution, Of bigotry and
OF intolerance. Naturally these music
al works have undergone transfornna-
ton In modern times; but one The
Jews Daughter" has remained intact
and tells OF the murder OF Hugh OF
Lincoln, which took place A. d. 1855.
and was charged upon the jews Of
Lincoln Of whom over 200 were
brought to London and tried. with tor
ture for q mythical crucitixion of the
unfortunate lad.
The tale OF ancient jealousy has
come down to our times in the song
20. Wally. Wally Up the Bank"
which refers to the separation OF Lord
Jamie Douglas from his wife. The
original tale reads much like the plot
of Shakespeare's "OthelIo +" for there
was an Iago In the shape OF q certain
Lowrie of Blackwood secretary to
Douglas and in default of the fatal
handkerchief which plays so important
part In the Shakespearean tragedy
this wicked man placed pair Of boots
in such wise that the jealousy Of the
marquis was aroused. and a pathetic
separation followed. of which few who
sing the song know anything.
Some of the odd transformations of
songs are due to what must originally
have been something very like theft.
Shus Willie We Have Missed You"
10 only pharaphrase of the famous
Scotch song. Jock o Hazeldean."
The vet more celebrated John An
derson. My 10" is suspiciously like
when Johnnie Comes Marching
Home Again" popular song OF war
times But sometimes these resem-
blances to the Scotch music come
about very innocently. Thus strath-
ypey changed into loft in the Silly
Night" and this is by no means dis
tant relative to Nearer my God to
Thee" thus making favorite hymn
hume first cousin to an \ungodly and
very energetic dance. Such changes
might occur through the UNCONSCIOUS
retention OF tune in the mind. as
once happened to Mendelssohn while
composing .Elijah;" he had heard
..Auld Robin Gray" sung to Leeves'
tune (this popular melody is not the
original tune, which went with the
words). and the melody chung to his
without his being aware of
the fact. When. therefore he set the
words of '.Oh Rest In the Lord - to
the extreme horror OF the publisher
he used Leeves' tune without In the
least being conscious Of plagiarism.
When his attention was drawn to the
fact he altered the melody. but the
careful observer will still discover
Of the flavor OF Aud Robin
Gray" In ''Oh. Rest In the Lord
Many Of the songs Of the German
students have been stolen and repro
duced In new guises on this side OF the
Atlantic. Maryland. My Maryland"
for example. is note for note the old
German song % Tannebaum. +" song
In praise OF fidelity. The simple little
song so often heard in kindergarten
or Sunday school as oh Come. Come
Away" Is one OF the most popular Of
the student songs but in Germany It
the merits of very fiery
punch called 'Crambambull." Our
music is full OF metamor-
phoses akin to those mentioned above,
Yankee Doodle" being old English.
The Star Spangled Banners jovial
drinking song. and America" the
English national anthem. Even the
hymnology is not exempt from these
importune resemblances. for Sun Of
My Soul" is not very far from Mozart's
Sc Vuol Ballare." and many other
instances OF metamorphoses might be
cited; but enough has been noted to
prove that Solomon's saying, There
Is no new thing under the. SUM-" may
be very stongly applied to music.