The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-16
SONGS OF THE NATION
MIR. LOUIS C. ELsON's FINAL Lee
TURE DELIVERED TO GOOD
AUDIENCE
NATIONAL AIRS OF AMERICA

The Lecture Gave Some Interesting
History About the Military Side
of. This Music-American Rough
Riders Had Even Sung "a Hot
Time" Into Nationa ssignlficance-
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
The third lecture of Mr.. Louis c. Elson
on Music was given last evening at the
Peoples church to the largest audience he
has yet addressed His theme was ma
ticnal songs.
There was national music, he said,
descriptive Of home scenes and times Of
peace. But for the present he would con-
fine his remarks to music treating OF
war, of the military side OF national
songs. All wars of recent years had given
birth to much music, which, in sense,
might be termed national in character
From the throes of the recent Spanish
American struggle had come one, "A Hot
Time in the Old Town. American rough
riders had sung this catchy air into ma
tlonal significance.
In the Crimean war Annie Laurie,
song of peace, had been taken up by the
Scotch highlanders, and sung as a song
of triumph, and then it had found its way
into the English and Irish regiments I'M
til the whole allied forces were singing
Annie Laurie to encourage a battle charge
or relieve the tedum of weary march.
In various armies it had been found
necessary at times to prohibit certain
songs. For instance, at one period Of the
War of the Rebellion when This Cruel
War is Over and 1.-THE Vacant Chair"
had been on the tobooed list on. account
of the effect it had on the soldiers, KIND
of decentralization which was not consider
ed good for the army. Napoleon had
found it necessary to prohibit the singing
by his soldiers of a certain melancholy
Swiss air. In fact 1t had seemed to be
the rule to surround the bloodiest scenes
of history with the lightest liveliest
music. This had been noted during the
reign of terror in Paris A number of
Scottish songs had been prohibited during
the Sepoy mutiny
At one time "Auld Lang Syne" had been
a peculiarly national song of Scotland
But it had gradually crept over into Eng
land, into Ireland, into the United States,
until at last it had lost it's nationality
and become a song for all the world.
Mr.. Elson gave beautiful description
of the history of the "Marseillaise." This
was not its original name, and there have
been many different sets Of words adopted
to it, First 1t was known as the Song
of Liberty" In 1892 demand was made
in France for 600 men willing to die for
liberty A band to the number of 516-
Carlyle has it 517-had been raised in
Marseilles in response to this call. AS
they marched northward they sung this
song and it became known as the song
of the Marseilles men. It's ringing notes
had resounded all through the reign of
terror and men had gone to he gulllotlne
singing 1t. Marie Antoinette had heard it
on her dismal journey to death.
1t appears that the French at that time
actually believed that the queen was M re
to blame for conditions in France than
was the king. Consequently they named
her Nine. Veto. They claimed that when
ever the king had planned anything for
the good Of the people the queen had We
toed it.
Mr.. Elson then devoted the rest of
his address to the music more distinctive
ly American. In the time of the colonists
this country was, unsteady, a desert.
There was a wide distinction between
pilgrims and puritans. Puritars held to
the Church of England; the pilgrims were
outsiders. The only music tolerated by
the latter were psalms in rhyme, and
sung to but five tunes, of which Old Hun
dred was one and Yorktown another. In
adapting the psalms to rhythmic melody
instances had been known where the pill
grims had added a syllable to words,
as In rhyming "bretheren'' and ''chil
deren."
When an eminent Boston divine had
wished to bring an organ over from Eng
land for the purpose of praising God
with a loud noise Cotton Mather had
Numbered denunciations against the
project. In those days there was the
same trouble between the pulpit and the
choir that exists at the present day. Or
ganists We're volatile, and fond of inter
luding the most sacred and profound mu-
sic with gay, rapidly vibrating trills and
runs. This arose mainly, from the prac-
tice of the preacher in lining the words
of a psalm. Often this produced most
grotesque effects. Here is an instance.
The preacher reads:
1.-The Lord will come and He will not"
Organist with his trills.
Keep silent but speak out.
More music by organist.
Yankee Doodle, originated as an Eng
fish song, but was taken up and made
purely American. 1t was sung and play
ed by the British as the Lexington
March" 1t was played by American mu-
sicians at the surrender of CORVALLIS.
Mr.. Elson traced the origin and final de-
velopment of America Hail Column
bia,'' "Star-Spar gied Banner" John
Browns Body when Johnny Comes
Marching Home and several others. The
"Star-Spangled Banner was not written
by F. Scott Keys on the frigate Minden,
as many suppose, but on a small boat,
tender, of the same name While Fort
McHenry was being bombarded by the
British the song was composed amid the
smoke and flames of battle. And ithas
the true ring and cadence, the spirit. of
war. ,..-,,., ~
Members of the Professional league
were at home yesterday afternoon from
to at their studio in the. Raudenbush
building, the reception being arranged
to do honor to Mr.. Louis c. Elson,
musician and lecturer. The guests were
received by Miss Shave, 8 Miss Elsie
Shave, Prof E. c. Murdoch and Mr.. Ell
son in the studio of the league. The
studios of Mrs. Lamberson and Mr.
Wheaton were also thrown open to the
guests, and the rooms presented a most
attractive appearance with their deco
ration of palms and white hyacinths. Mr..
Elson spoke for short time, dwelling
upon the pleasure 1t had been to him to
meet the musicians Of st. Paul In a
social way and commencing the league
for it's success as an organization. Tea
was served in Mrs Lamberson's studio
Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Briggs presid-
ing at the table. Others assisting yes
terday were Miss Strong, Miss Nabers-
berg Miss Pleins, Miss Nellie Hope,
Miss Hale Miss zenzius and Miss Ger
trude Hall. A. ne e-et