Franklin's paper the Denver star., 1912-11-30
By JOHN E. BRUCE (GRIT).

by JUN L. bkOCE (SRll).
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 a wandering
Negro street minstrel, George Milburn
of Philadelphia. over fifty years ago.
1t was set to music by white man.
Septimus Winner. who got all the cred
it for it and whatever financial profit
there was in it, Mlburn got some
thing like a dozen copies of the song
after it was published. and many peo-
pie told him he was a genius.
But Mlburn was not the only Negro
in Philadelphia who could compose
sweet tunes He was. perhaps. the
only one among his brethren in the
musical armament who could not write
a musical score. OF those who could
give full expression to their ideas as
composers of music may be mentioned
James Hemmenway, who wrote SEN
timcntal song entitled. That Rest So
Sweet Like Bliss Above which at
tanned wide popularity in Philadelphia
and elsewhere.
1t was published in Atkinson's Cas-
ket. musical journal. to which he was
a contributor in October. 1929. Mr..
Hemmenway wrote also ''The Phila
helpha Grand Entree March," Wash
ington Gray's Grand March," Wash
inyton Gray'S Bugle Calf and Hunter
and Hop WaltZes.' which were pub
Iished by Willig. and the philadelphia
Hop Waltz" published by Lee &
Walker.
Another Philadelphian, A. j. Conner.
wrote and dedicated to Miss Matilda
Cornish. a popular and prominent
young lady of color. song entitled
My Cherished Hopes, My Fondest
Dreams" which was published in the
Anglo-African Magazine in January.
1851. He also wrote the Evergreen
Polka" published by Oliver Ditson in
Boston. 1853; american Polka Qua
drilles,'' 1916; New York Polka Waltz"
published by A. Fiot in Philadelphia.
1916: General Taylor's Galop." pub
lished by J. G. Osborn. 1916: 'Phila
delphia Polka Waltz u. o. of o. f.
Quadrille." published by Lee X Wal
ker. 1916: Chestnut Street Promenade
Quadrille." published by s. T. Gordon.
New York. 1870.
Robert Murray of Baltimore wrote
the ''Furioso Galop." published by Bos
well X Bartlett. ana the "Tedesco
Polka" published by George Willig.
| have not been able to fix the dates
of these publications. however. j. w.
Posilcwaite of st Louis in 1852 wrote
and published the st. Louis Grays
QuicEstcp' and the "Dewdrop Schot-
fish in 1851. They were published
by Balmer X Weber. ST. Louis.
The famous Negro bandmaster of
Philadelphia and leader of Frank John
sons band. the only organization 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.
quadrilles. cotilions. polkas. patriotic
songs. quickstcps. etc.
The Victoria Galop." in honor of
the queen of England. and General
Cadwa allader's March, gained consid
erable popularity in their day. Both
were published hy Willig at Philadel-
phia as We're 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 Crcditable evi-
dences of his genius aS II composer
which have been handed down to us
by a past generation. These are hope
full signs of promise for the future of
the Negro III music aud should furnish
inspiration to the rising generation.