The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-16
F. ]. K. in Musical America.

! State, and, again, the country over.
musical associations, students of folk
songs and musical enthusiasts of merely
amateur pretensions are arranging fit
tingly to commemorate the semi-centen-
NAL of the death of Stephen Foster-au-
| thor, primarily, of "Old kentucky Home"
but, in addition, laying claim to such
other universal favorites as "Old Black
joe" "Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground
and others.
| The first real Foster evening was held
recently by the American Folklore So
ciety of Cincinnati-the city in which
some of Fosters notable writings were
done; the president DR.. Otto Juettner,
delivering the memorial to the departed
minstrel. In addition, as a part of the
movement toward celebrating Foster
year, a quartet of colored singers was
impanelled from one of the citys colored
churches, to sing some of the best known
of Fosters many songs
| This latter feature is especially inter-
esting for what it may evolve. At Rich
niond, Va, during the jamestown expo
sition, Honorable Polk Miller organized
colored orchestra to perpetuate the old
/ southern folk-songs in the way these
were sung and played before the war.
1t was Millers idea that the organization
should be perpetual-so soon as one
player died or resigned, he should be re-
placed by vote of the rest. The concerts
would be given in churches and each per-
| former was to receive a good salary. Be-
yond this the object was educational,
ra f11ar fbop III
has become of the Miller orchestra infor-
nation fails us, but the American Folk
lore society. through its Cincinnati
| branch, may now evolve something of
the sort.
Stephen Fosters death recalls the
strange nemesis that attached to the
| composer of another popular song, Ben
Bolt Fosters death. as we get the
story from one who knows 1t best, was
tragic. Having separated from his wife
soon after their marriage he drlfted to
New York. There certain unfortunate
| habits grew upon him, and, at times. we
are told, 'he walked the streets in an
old glazed cap and shabby clothing,
which made him look more like a tramp
than the composer of songs that were
sung on every side.
'I1e would write and compose a song
In the morning, sell 1t in the afternoon,
and spend the proceeds in dissipation be-
! fore night. In January, 1864, while Ill
with fever in a cheap hotel, he rose dur
ing the night for a drink of water, was
so weak that he fell, when near the wash
stand, and, in so doing. struck against
| he lin. ba nit ocl,a a
his neck. He lay on the floor insensible
until discovered by a servant. On being
revived. he asked to be taken to Belle
vue hospital, where he died from fever
and loss of blood on January IS.
His identity not being known at the
| hospital, his body lay for a time in the
morgue, where friends finally traced it
and prevented the composer from being
buried as a pauper"
Nelson Kneass, whose music, revived in
| "Trilby" made Ben Bolt" famous, was
also divorced by his wife for his hab-
| its-in his case drink Drifting to the low
class concert halls, he was lost sight Of
One day a body, identified as his, was
found in the Ohio river ana sent to the
Cincinnati morgue. While 1t lay there
friends notified his former wife. and in a
forgiving mood she had it brought to her
home and Christian service enacted over
| it. In the midst of this the door burst
open-with Kneass in the flesh, demand
| ing to know who said he was dead and
soon proving the floater an impostor
The wife took him back. after this for
a time, but he, too. proved impossible,
and a final separation occurred.
Even had stephen Foster left us nothing
but "Old Kentucky Home" he would be
revered by the American people. In addi-
ton, one of his biographers gives the fol-
lowing list of his most familiar songs:
Beautiful Dreamer Come Where Ny
Love Lies Dreaming" Don't Bet Your
Money on the Shanghai Gentle Annie,'
| Hard Times Come Again No More"
II See Her Still in My Dreams" Jenny
June" Laura Lee" Louisiana Belle"
''Massa's in de Cold. Cold Ground"
Nelly Was a Lady," Nellie Bly," "Old
Dog Tray" "Oh Boys, Carry Me Long, ;"