The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-01-06
vox PoPULI.
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nHEART soNGsr VS.. PRESENT
DAY POPULAR MELODIES

HufCOr FenSaCOka journal.
The Journals distribution recently
to It's readers. of Heart Songs" that
charming volume comprising a collec-
ton of the best songs of a long pc
Rod of time, has resulted in stirring
"reminiscences in the mind of the
writer of these lines: ard, while he oc-
cupies a position of age intermediate
between young and very old, the ma
jority Of the gems of song assem-
BLEED In this delightful book were old,
and their success was firmly estab-
lished when the beautiful sounds Of
their melody first fell upon his ear,
and many songs, both good and bad,
have been heard by him since the pc
Rod when most OF these were popular.
These songs. from both the lyrical and
musical standpoints, are vastly SUI
perfor to the class OF songs whose
ragtinne melody and jsrgon-lyrics now
seem to satisfy the public taste
There was a time, between the era
of Heart Songs" and the present
day style of music, which contributed
a rich harvest of songs for public
cleaning. This was the age of Quick.
Mitchell. Monroe III. Rosenfleld and
Frank howard. a ooterie of popular
song writer's whose contributions were
prolific as well as beautiful.
1t was only a few short weeks ago,
(Dec 4th) that one of these old
timers passed away. / excerpt a no.
tice or his demise from the Billboard:
observation-disclosures Martindale. pro-
REASONABLY known as Frank Howard,
died at West Union, Ia, December 4,
He Was 81 years of age and travelled
with Primrose and West, Dockstader
and several other minstrel troupes
He is survived by wife and two
SONS.
II rs said that the song, only a
Pansy Blossom" established Frank
Hcward's reputation as a song writer.
he was. at that time, with the popu-
lar old minstrel aggregation, Thatcher.
Primrose d West. Howard had a
beautiful tenor voice and was a thor
ough musician. He was a poet of no
mean ability as some of his later eff
forts will testify, but, having composed
a song, words and music, OF an en-
tirely different title was rehearsing
same with the object of producing it
with the company when he CHANGED to
come across the verses, "Only a PAN
sly Blossom" IN newspaper OF the
day. This little poem fitted the metre
Of his music to a nicely so he adapted
the words and changed the title ac-
cordfngfy. This song brought Howard
fame and prosperity and years AFTER
wards action was brought against
Howardrs Publishers for royalty. The
publishers It Is said, were about TO re-
sfst the ciaam when Howard came for
ward and paid the author Of the verses.
"a young fady) hberally for the poem.
Among the later successes OF this
old singer weres when thu Robins
Nest Again Sweet Heather Bell -
TN Await Ny Love-" "Howard's Lul-
laby, The Fisherman and EIis Child, %
etc. Howard was very prolific In his
song writing. as were others Of his
contemporaries, and was, in most
cases, responsible for both words and
music OF his songs.
Monroe III. Rosenfleld, with his I'VE
Never Speak AS We Pass By and
many others was popular at this time
and rs still alive Il beffeve), and a
New York publisher has new song
of his (the title OF which have for
gotten) now on the market
Banks Winter. the minstrel tenor,
whose home was a Georgia town. had
number Of popular songs at this
time, among them, Dear Robin III Be
True" and White Wings
Mitchell, an Irish composer. was
now flooding the British isles and the
United States with his COMPOSITIONS,
and so prolific was his work and his
name appeared upon the covers of SO
much music that he deemed it unwise
to continue to publish under his own
name and many songs were sold out
right to those who published them
with purchasers name appearing as
author. At the same time, a mad mu-
stefan, one Gulick, Ono. r., / believe)
was furnishing songs upon the same
terms from lunattc asylum some
where in the east.
The minstrels. so popular during the
period OF which speak, were veri-
table Communicated OF genius of all
kinds. and the songs of that day seem
to me, as | look back as being su-
perior to those OF the present, though
this may be attributable to very
natural love for those things that were
vital in the past. as age creeps upon
us.
liz IL is not out or place / will re-
peat the story of the making of a
popular song as 1t was related to me
by Frank F.. McNish, the famous Isl
lence and fun comedian, who was
part owner of the company in which
IL happened. Thatcher, Primrose &.
West and McNish, Johnson & Slavtn
were the two greatest or the minstrel
shows of that day-or any day for
that matter-and the bitterest rivalry
between them existed. The first named
company had both Frank Howard and
Banks Winter among it's vocalists
each singing song of his own COM
position and each creating a nightly
furore.
McNish gathered his company about
him and made the preliminary move
for Producing an original song, he Of
fered a prize for an attractive title.
Title having been decided upon he Of
fered prize for a poem to suit the
title. Receiving all the entries for this
he selected three, and appointed a
-