Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-01
THE GOLDEN AGE OF NATIONAL SONGS
BY Frederic J. Haskin

ton shared her husbands fame ~ :
patron OF music. Another page o'
Duport's music book bears tho bcnding
Fancy Nenuit with Figure Dance ~
two young Indies IN the presence II
Mrs. Washington in 1872 Philadelphia.
Mrs. Washington, like her husband,
had songs indited TO her. Ono pathetic,
and yet amusing, specimen Of ne
Revolutionary period ~ entitled Lady
Washington" 1t begins with flnin--
boyant rhetoric, "Ssw you my herol
Saw you my hero George2" According
to the song, Mrs. Washington goes on 70
say that she has been out looking for her
hero. She has inquired of every swain
only 20 be told that the missing Gcnerni
was in the van Of the battle. The song
ends with a dramatic line in which
Lady Washington irnploring the swsins
TO return my hero George"
The conception Of this emotional
song was certainly lofty enough, and
sincere. But it is little difficult for us
to picture the dignihed Mrs. Washington
Of Mt. Vernon going about the country
side TO inquire Of the swains II they have
seen George Whether this simple ditiy
was ever performed before Mrs Wash
ingtoD or what she may have thought
OF il is, unfortunately, not recorded.
One Of the oldest looking manuscripts
in the exhibit is a collection Of the best
psalm tunes engraved by Paul Revere
and sold by him and Josiah Flag,
Boston, 1894"
The preface Of the little old volurn.
closes with the quaint remark; ia -
hoped, it will not diminish the Vslus
Of this Book in the Estimation ~ Any,
but may in some Degree recommend 10
even to those who have no particular
Relish for the Musick, that however VIC
are obliged TO the other Side of tho
Atlantick chiefly for our Tunes, Tho
Paper on which they are printed y the
Manufacture Of our own Country"
In spite Of the intensely patriotic
character Of the early music of ~
republic, almost all the composers wcrt,
foreign born The first native boru
American composer, Francis Hopkison
is represented in the exhibit by one ~
his manuscript song books and q ie',er
written by him 20 Thomas jefferson. u
was the son of this Francis Hopkin.on
who wrote the words of Hail, Column
bia."
Composer States man, Too.
This first American composer was on.
!, Of the signers Of the Declaration ~ In
! dependence, and his portrait hangs n
! day in Declaration Chamber Of IN
dependence Hall, Philadelphia u shows
+, man with mild, ideslistic face hold.
, ing quill pen.
. Much OF the music Of the colonial com
; posers has passed into historic collections
; and much into oblivion The fnsrci
q written for Jefferson's Inauguration An,
= the national song cornmemorating The
L Louisiana Purchase are forgotten. Bu
few Of those exalted Outbursts %
y patriotism are still Depended upon q
e inspire patriotic emotion today TIT
u words to The Star Spangled Banner,
y written during the War OF 1872, plsc
IS this famous song in a later period thai
u that covered by colonial music coiiec
l. ton. The tune, however, was know
y and widely used long before. tn
u melody had been first called "Ananreo
le in Heaven" and song called Adam
T. and Liberty" had been sung n II be;or
I; Francis Scott Key wrote his set of versc'
d Hail, Columbia" both words an
Is music, survived this colonial era, IN
3, is now an American classic. America,
e came later, but its tune Of God Saw
&c the King" borrowed from Engiani
d was prominent feature Of number I
g popular songs in colonial America.
% Our most inspiring national songs ~
s souvenirs Of this golden age Of patriot
music Today, composers and poe
T seem 10 have lost the knack of produ
II ing national songs. There is more d
mand for songs about home, mothe
n and the girl, and the law of supply an
j, demand works Just as surely now as
e did in 1870. But some Americans beiiey
'e that the Great American nation
re anthem is not among these colonr
'e pieces, that it is stall TO be written
p another golden age OF patriotic song
Auto tires ropaired7 Read. {,