The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1912-11-23
OUR MUSICAL
ACHIEVEMENTS
Evidences Of the Ability 0, Co..
ored Composers.
INSPIRATION TO THE YOUNG.


Future Of the Race In the World Of
Music - Over Threeseors Compost.
tions Written by coIored Band
master.
BY JOHN E. BRUCE (GRIT).
Everybody who has taken the trou-
BILE to investigate the matter knows
that one of the most beautiful songs
ever written. Listen to the Mocking
Bird" was composed by wandering
Negro street minstrel, George Milburn
Of Philadelphia. over fifty years ago.
It was set to music by white man,
Septimus Winner. who got all the cred
1t for 1t and whatever financial profit
there was in it. Milburn got some
thing like a dozen copies of the song
after 1t was published. and many peo-
pie told him he was a genius.
But Milburn was not the only Negro
In Philadelphia who could compose
sweet tunes. He was. perhaps. the
only one among his brethren in the
musical ornament who could not write
q musical score. OF those who could
give full expression to their ideas as
composers of music may be mentioned
James Hemmenway. who wrote SEN
timental song entitled. THAT Rest So
Sweet Like Bliss Above which at
tanned wide popularity In Philadelphia
and elsewhere.
It was published in Atkinson's Cas-
ket. q musical journal. to which be was
q contributor in October. 1929. Mr..
Hemmenway wrote also '"The Phila-
delphia Grand Entree March" Wash
ington Gray's Grand March" Wash
ington Gray's Bugle Call'' and "Hunter
and Hop Waltzes." which were pub
lished by W'illig. and the philadelphia
Hop Waltz" published by Lee &
Walker.
Another Philadelphian. A. j. Conner.
wrote and dedicated to Miss Matilda
Cornish. popular and prominent
young lady Of color. a song entitled
my Cherished Hopes. My Fondest
Dreams" which was published in the
glo-African Magazine in January.
1857. He also wrote the Evergreen
Polka" published by Oliver Ditson in
Boston. 1859: American Polka Qua
drilles." 1S46: New York Polka Waltz"
published by A. Fiot in Philadelphia.
i848: General Taylor's Galop." pub
lished by J. q. Osborn. 1S48: "Phila-
delphia Polka Waltz" II. o. Of o. F..
Quadrille." published by Lee & Wal
ker. 1S46: Chestnut Street Promenade
Quadrille." published by 8. T. Gordon.
New York. 1850.
Robert Murray Of Baltimore wrote
the "Furiosn Galop.' published by Bos-
we'll & Bartlett. and the 'TedescO
Polka" published by George Willig.
I have not been able to fix the dates
Of these publica lions. however. J. w.
Postle waite Of st. Louis in 1852 wrote
and published the st. Louis Grays'
Quickstep' and the "Dewdrop Schot-
Dish" in 1851. They were published
By Balmer & Weber. at. Louis.
The famous Negro bandmaster OF
Philadelphia and leader Of Frank John
sons band. the only organiza ton of its
kind (of which we have any knowl-
edge, to tour Europe in series OF
band concerts and which was com
manded to play before Queen Victoria.
was the author of more than threescOre
musical compositions dirges. marches,
uuadrilles. cotilIions. polkas, patriotic
songs. quicksteps. etc.
"The Victoria GalOp." in honor OF
the queen Of England. and General
Cadwallader's March," gained consid-
srable popularity in their day. Both
were published by Willig at Philadel-
phia, as were most Of his other pro-
ductions. The Society For Historical
Research has quite an extensive list OF
these early Negro musical composers.
That the Negro Is highly musical Is
attested by the many creditable evi'
dences of his genius AZ a composer
whirh have been handed down to US
by q past generation. These are hope
fuI signs Of promise for the future OF
the Negro IN music and should furnish
inspiration to the rising generation.