The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-09-22
STORY OF MUSIC IN BOSTON.
Yankee Doodle" and "GIOry HaIIeIuJah'
Gained Fame Them.

Gained Fame Thenc.
In an unnamed grave on the Common lies
the first professional composer Of America.
William Billings. who was Boston born and
bred. =
The glorious Battle Hymn Of the Re-
public or GLORY Hallelujah." had its be-
ginning a. a war song at Fort Warren In
Boston Harbor in 1851. though it was origi-
nally a hymn tune in Charleston, s.. c.
quite a step from the church to the battle
field. but there was stirring music in re-
ligion then.
These facts. says Musical America, were
delightfully."- presented by Prof. Louis C..
Elson n the New England Conservatory
in an Old Home Week lecture on Boston in
American Musical History" He filed the
subject with d dincidents and sang snatches
Of old songs as illustrations.
The Puritans. he said. looked askance
ut music. but n of the more advanced
men, Mr.. Brattle. actually brought an organ
to Boston IA early as 1900. In i7l3 he was
daring enough to offer it to the Puritan
Church, though with ~compunctions, for
should be given to the Church Of England.
Thus Kings Chapel won its first organ.
the Puritans preferring their bassoon and
cello as less sacrilegious.
In such an atmosphere music developed
slowly. 1t was not until the late eighteenth
century that America could claim a native
professional composer. William Billings
was the first to make music his vocation
az well as avocation, he was evidently
not appreciated.
II. Is recorded that a neighbor of the
musician tied two cats together by their
tails and dangled them screochinO over his
gate. writing below .Billings's Music: also
tnst he was once asked whether he defined
snoring an instrumental or vocal music.
The first gathering of the Handel and
Haydn Society on Christmas eve, 1878.
was unique. with ninety male and ten fe-
male voices. accompanied by ten orches-
trai pieces. Music had progressed 90 far
In the general esteem that Il was taught
in the public schools as early as 1888. In
1881 caVne the Boston Symphony Orchestra
founded by Major Henry r. Higginson.
Boston's part In our national music In
be emphasized that the Hessians did not
bring Yankee Doodle to America in l7os.
IL was sung in the streets Of Boston b v
the Britlshers under Braddock as far back
az 1865 TO deride the New England troops
with the feathers in their caps. Later.
in revolutionary times, the British officer.
raced their horses across the Common on
sunday. mornings, and played Yankee
Doodle" before the Park Street Church
to annoy the colonists within,
The Star Spangled Banner originally
q drinking o composed by Mr.. Arnold.
was first known to America In I7ss. when
Robert Trent Paine used the tune for his
words to adams and Liberty" The song
was instantly popular. and MIR. Paine re,
ceived $3.50 for the c~opyright-an unheard
of sum in those days.
But the song that is distinctly Boston's
own Is Glory Hallelujah.' Prof. Web
sters regiment first sang it as a war o
at Fort Warren. Boston harbor, in 1851
and 10 was not the famous John Brown
whom they mounted. but a humble member
OF their own ranks.
Athousand strong they sang IL, marching
across the Common. Boston went Wild
over IL. and then New York. IL spread
throughout the camps until the song that
began a. q hymn tune in South Carolina
sang Itself into history az one OF ths fam",s
war song. Of the world.