Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-18
NATIONAL AIRS.

Appended to the Report of the LII
brarlan of Congress for the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1909 is the announce
ment OF several new publications none
of which. however, Is for free distriou-
ton. Among them are A List of Geo
eraphical Aliases in the Library OF
Congress, compiled under the direction
OF P. Lee Phillips. chief, Division oil
Maps and Charts: Report on The star
Sp; ngled Banner. Hail Columbia
America, and Yankee Doodle. compiled
by o. G.. T Sonneck. chief, Division
of Music; The Records OF the Virginia
Company of London, 16l9-l624; A. l..
A. Portrait Index, an Index to por-
traits contained in books and period
icals,
The Report on the four national
songs. mentioned. Is of general interest.
It contains 16i pages OF text and 2S
Illustrations Tho aim has been to
secure, from the existing mass of lit-
eraturc. correct version of both text
and music.
Concerning Rev. Samuel F. Smiths
America" the Report says. In part,
that 1T Is hardly fair to consider the
properly belongs TO the English ma
tlonaI anthem. 1t was none the less a
heritage of the English colonies In
America, and that 1t was SO considered
eh4 hx ha
of songs written to suit the music dur
ing and Immediately after the Revolu-
ton"
Two questions are raised relative TO
"The Star-Spangled Banner" How
came the words to be welded to the air
ITO Anacreon in Heaven" and Where
was the song first sung In public? Both
of these are discussed at considerable
length in the Report. A comparison
is made between the melody as 1t ap-
pears in the Vocal Enchantress. 1888,
the earliest version in the. Library OF
Congress. and the version used for
Paine's adams and Liberty In the
American Musical Miscellany. 179S. and
with the version In the Baltimore Mu-
sical Miscellany. 1904. facsimile repro
ductions OF each OF these early versions
being provided. Then twelve rocent song
books, published between 1902 and 1909,
selected at random. arc compared with
John Philip Sousas National, Patri-
otic and Typical Airs OF all Lands"
1890. compiled "by authority" for use
in the United States Navy. The result
is said to be no less surprising than in
teresting.
According to the Report Hall Co
lumbia" was written In 1898 at the time
OF the trouble with France. 1t made
a strong appeal to the patriotism of
| the country and. containing no aIlu-
sIons to either France or England, be-
| came very popular With all parties and
soon developed into a full-fledged ma
tIonal song. The author is Joseph
Hopkinson. The music of this song
has suffered more changes than 1.-THE
StarSpanglcd Banner" more than hal,
of the bars of which II consists chow
ing variations.
Yankee Doodle began. the Report
says. probably as a march tune to
which doggerel verses were from time
to time fitted. but these have al
dropped into practical disuse. so tina
now II is to all intents and purpose,
purely Instrumental piece. It ha.
not been possible. so far. to arrive al
certainty with regard to its history, o,
even the true meaning OF the word
with which the song begins. or the orI
gin OF the music. Tho tune. 1t appears
first played In derision OF the so-calle,
Provinciais, WAS adopted by them as
national air.