Musical Correctness - a conversation

[gregcadams]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Great conversation. Thank you George for beginning it and AC members for keeping it going.

As people are playing with the idea of codifying "correctness" (reflecting George's title for this thread) covering music during the Civil War era, blackface minstrelsy, and any other music for that matter, it will be important to account for the variety of ways in which we not only interpret the material today, but also seek evidence regarding the variety of interpretations that likely took place during the Civil War era and the wider part of the 19th century. This means, in part, that we need to account for the aural nature of the music. While I believe that this is an unwieldy task due to the ephemeral nature of music, I also believe it is an important exercise within our reenactment community to have the conversation about what factors need to be considered and what genuine tools can we use--those that might balance our personal involvement with our imagined and researched understanding of the past.

One perspective that may help us come to a conclusion comes in an academic article I read in the last year: John Spitzer. 1994. ‘Oh! Susannah’: Oral Transmission and Tune Transformation. Journal of the American Musicological Society 47, no. 1. (Spring): 90-136.

I believe that if a sense of historical musical correctness might ever be attained this will be the place to start. Here is the author's abstract:

(begin author's quote)
Early prints of "Oh! Susanna" by Stephen Foster transmit versions of the tune that differ strikingly from one another [30 versions from at least 16 publishers]. It is likely that these variants arose as "Susanna" was orally transmitted among minstrel-show performers. Variant readings are compared in order to establish a stemma that shows not only the filiation of sources, but also the ways in which oral and written aspects were mixed in the transmission of "Susanna." The variants in versions of "Susanna" demonstrate four general tendencies of oral transmission: (I) a tendency to alter rhythms in order to clarify the beat; (2) a tendency to pentatonicize the melody; (3) a tendency for a salient harmony to draw the melody to the chord root; and (4) a tendency to eliminate differences between parallel passages. Analysis reveals that the four tendencies are also present in the transmitted versions of other songs from the repertory of nineteenth-century American minstrelsy.
(end author's quote)

As I've mentioned in other online forums, I always try to remember that a significant portion of this historical music was played in a diversity of contexts and by a diversity of people. I caution that to suggest that we can uniformly come up with a single, generalized way of playing stands a great chance of marginalizing multiple historical possibilities.

Ultimately, I think it's important that we 1) examine our own biases as we interpret materials, 2) the biases of people during this time period and the authors of the primary source material, and 3) how what we are doing affects those around us while we seek to inform, educate, interact, and remember this important period in our nation's history.

I hope this is meaningful to AC members and substantively adds to this important conversation.

Sincerely,
Greg Adams
--
Greg C. Adams
Project Director, Banjo Sightings Database Project (Vernacular Music Material Culture in Space and Time)
NEH Level-I Digital Humanities Start-Up Grant (http://www.neh.gov/ODH/Default.aspx?tabid=111&id=101)
BSD Blog: http://vmmaterialculture.blogspot.com/
*******

https://www.myspace.com/banjoroots

https://www.myspace.com/banjargreg

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

It also seems to me that those that have a fairly nice reportoire of music seem to focus on Irish songs a lot - maybe it's just what I've been around. I remember being at an immersion event and somone kept singing songs - he had a nice voice, new a wide variety and enjoyed singing them but they were all Irish songs. I finally turned around to him and said 'Don't you know no American songs?'

Yes, the "Irish songs" are way overdone, but "Irish jigs" on the other hand are very appropriate for fifers or fiddlers:

YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA.
The Illustrated London News, vol.39, no.1111, p.338.
October 5,1861
***There is a long line of camps on the ridge of the high river banks, another
in an open space of the woods beyond, and a third is down on the shore; behind
you, around you, which ever way you turn, the pointed tents dart up in bright
relief before the broad river and blue line of distant coast, or lie snugly
embedded in the dark green woods; and from one or another of these encampments
one's ears are perpetually assailed by the drum and the fife, which comprise the
principal military music of Yorktown. The Southern stock of band instruments is
nearly exhausted, so the fife rings changes on the martial airs of "Dixie Land"
and the "Marseillaise," varied by Irish jigs; and the drum beats time to the
march or parade.

Historic days in Cumberland County, New Jersey, 1855-1865: political and war ... By Isaac T. Nichols

'The Fourth of July, 1861, was patriotically celebrated in Bridgeton...Early in the morning the oldtime drum corps. Lot Loper, fifer; Levin Bond, kettle drummer; Eddie Crozier with the big drum, proceeded down Laurel hill to Edmund Davis' hotel...The music which these veterans sent forth roused the crowd, the reveille was beat...Those who looked on can never forget the appearance and enthusiasm of Lev., Lot and Eddie as they made the welkin ring with "Yankee Doodle," "Hail Columbia," "Red, White and Blue." "The Girl I Left Behind Me," and an Irish jig or two.'

Drum Taps in Dixie by Delevan Miller

"But whin youse kids led us out on a p'rade to the
chune of 'Rory O'More' it was like goin' to a
Donnybrook fair so aisy was the marchin' behind
the drum corps of the Second Heavy."


The United service magazine 1854- Page 197

"On proceeding about half a mile farther, a turn in the road showed oa on our left, and a few hundred yards in advance, a large hacienda, whose whitewashed walls gleamed cheerfully through the hedges of gigantic aloes that bounded the road in front of it, and as we approached more nearly, the brisk and lively notes of the wry-neck'd fife playing a merry Irish jig, became distinctly audible. "

Our Country, in Its Relations to the Past, Present and Future: A National ...
by Mrs Lincoln Phelps - 1864

"Fifes are now pitted against each other
in fiercest rivalry. Choicest morceaux from some favorite
opera delight the ear for awhile, when suddenly their toes
are trodden upon by "Villikins and his Dinah," or "Rory
O'Moore," squeaked out from some neighboring camp,
and then they plaintively subside into, "When this cruel
war is over."

History of the Seventeenth regiment, New Hampshire volunteer infantry. 1862-1863
By Charles Nelson Kent

' "Yankee Doodle," "The White Cockade," "The Bold Soldier Boy," " St. Patrick's Day," " Larry O'Gaff," "Jefferson's Liberty," "Garry Owen," " Sprig of Shillalah," and many others whose lively bars played by a good fife and drum corps, dispelled the weariness of a long march. Occasionally these lively airs were exchanged for those of a more solemn character, like the "Dead March in Saul," " Pleyel's Hymn," "America," etc., as the remains of those who died of disease or wounds were conveyed to their last resting-place." '

The drums of the 47th By Robert Jones Burdette

'The "troop, beat off"; the band marched down the line to slow music, and countermarched back at quick time—Rocky Road to Dublin, The Girl I Left Behind Me, or the everywhere popular Garry Owen, or some lively air to which the regiment had words of its own, The Death of My Poor Children being a favorite of ours.'

From The Story of Our Regiment: A History of the 148th Pennsylvania Vols., Written by the Comrades By Joseph Wendel Muffly Published by Kenyon Print., 1904:

'General Hancock...ordered every band and drum corps to play "Rally Round the Flag"...Our repertoire was somewhat limited and not very artistic. It commenced with the "reveille" and ended with "retreat" and "tattoo," and consisted principally of marches and quick-steps — "The Girl I Left Behind Me," "Larry O'Gaff," by Woodly; "Old Dan Tucker," by "Danny" Shreffler; "The Rogue's March," and, last but not least, "Hell on Oil Creek." by Abraham Corson'

The Philadelphia Press, Aug. 19, 1863, mentions The Irish Volunteer being played by a drum corps and Walt Whitman recalled Lannigan's Ball being played by drum corps at the Grand Review in 1865.

So I hope that the renditions of "Irish music" that are intended to be played as they were in Ireland doesn't create a bias against the Irish tunes actually commonly played by American musicians during the war.

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Is there historical support of white musicians performing minstrel music (as the term applies to "our" era) out of blackface ?

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[georgewunderlich]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

This has been a most enlightening thread in many ways. I do not want to become too bogged down in one or another subject like repitoire quite yet.

The answer to the fiddle and drum issues are getting right to the core of the first matter that we must undertake when we discuss music: what is our understtanding of historical accuracy of the musical instrument. Where do we draw the line between correct and incorrect.

Then we must move on to Greg's well reasoned issues and his three suggestions:

"Ultimately, I think it's important that we 1) examine our own biases as we interpret materials, 2) the biases of people during this time period and the authors of the primary source material, and 3) how what we are doing affects those around us while we seek to inform, educate, interact, and remember this important period in our nation's history."

This is the real "meat" behind my original question. If we are hoping to accurately protray historical events and properly represent historical persons then we must look at all facets of our intrepretation. Music is the specific part of the intepretation I hope to work out here. we now understand that there are few accurate instrument reproductions, we understand that some music is over represented and conversly some is under- represented. My next question then: How do we, in a clear and positive terms, try and help this hobby move towards a more accurate portrail of perriod music.

Greg's points, in light of the other thoughtful posts here, give us a bit of a challenge and a bit of a roadmap to use this forum and otther tools to improve musical interpretation.

It seems to me, after 33+ years in this hobby, that we need to develope more venues for learning and practicing that meet both the needs of our fellow living historians AND broadens our understanding of music of the period in a more general way. We must not forget that while musch popular music was played during the war, the players had benn exposed to other forms of music in their lives and those other forms of music had an influence. I am asking all of you, what ideas do you have to make a real change in the hobby musically?

[Old Cremona]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

I am asking all of you, what ideas do you have to make a real change in the hobby musically?

You and Greg always got to ask the tough questions.

I will offer-- we need to sends new mineshafts into the rich veins of sheet music that exist in such profusion in the LOC and Levy's and others sites. There are so many tunes we haven't touched yet. Of course, they are mostly piano arrangements, but it's not a stretch to arrange them in the stroke-style learned from Briggs, Rice, Buckley, Converse, et. al.

Besides learning new tunes, you find clues in there on proper context for the music. Take the tune "Injun Rubber Overcoat" from Briggs. What did it mean, how did they use it? Well, search "Hop de Dooden Do" as a "song title' in the LOC American Memory sheet music collection. It's the same tune (performed by Luke West!). In the Songsheet section there is even a version that uses the phrase "Injun Rubber Overcoat." So I will opine that the tune "Injun Rubber Overcoat" as found in the Briggs is sort of an "exercise" based on the popular minstrel tune "Hop De Dood'n Do."

Of course, I may completely full of (excrement) with this hypothisis but it's a start, ain't it?

Also, besides piano arrangements, guitar arrangements abound in surviving sheet music. WE NEED MORE CORRECT GUITAR PLAYERS IN THE HOBBY. Sorry to yell there, but I feel strongly about that. How many times have you seen a reenactor play period fingerstyle music at living histories?

And dance. Jig dancing. We need more of that. You young fellers, want to stand out in a crowd of reenactors, and get a cardiovascular workout at the same time? Learn to jig dance. There is a period manual in the LOC American memory that will tell you everything you need to know. You just have to find someone to get you started on the basic "step, shuffle, step, shuffle" motion.

[Citman05]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

You and Greg always got to ask the tough questions.

And dance. Jig dancing. We need more of that. You young fellers, want to stand out in a crowd of reenactors, and get a cardiovascular workout at the same time? Learn to jig dance. There is a period manual in the LOC American memory that will tell you everything you need to know. You just have to find someone to get you started on the basic "step, shuffle, step, shuffle" motion.

So is jig dancing the same as "flat foot"? It seems so, that same step shuffle step...

[Old Cremona]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

So is jig dancing the same as "flat foot"? It seems so, that same step shuffle step...

I'm not sure, but probably; Deborah Hyland once told me that the basic motion of "clogging" or "buck" dancing is the basic motion of jig dancing. And she knows quite a bit about dancing. But I better not put words in her mouth.

Check out the manual yourself-- http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/dihtml/m...bTitles02.html

Click on the "Jig, clog and breakdown dancing made easy."

It was published in 1873, but claims "This book begins with a brief history of jig dancing and provides a chronology of jig and clog dancers from famed African-American dance Master Juba to Johnny Diamond and Dick Pelham. The manual also describes twenty steps including "heel and toe step," "shuffle,""clog break," and "plantation breakdown." So I think you're gonna find some relevant stuff in there.

I hope dance study isn't off topic here--I think it should be part and parcel with the music. And the demands are the same--research, research, research. And a healthy dose of practice, of course.

[Silas]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Thanks for posting that link, Carl. I was thinking about that very booklet over the weekend when I saw some folks dancing a jig at a reenactment. 'Bout time I learned a few of the moves and teach 'em to Uncle Coffee.

[Indianabugles]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

I read music, I have had several conversation threads on music, reading it, production numbers of sheet music. I have never referenced CD's, the Dots come first. I have referenced other period music and it has failed to gain any ground.
Unless the instrument is full period!
Unless the music is on the aproved list, regardless of how it plays with the Dots, which I researched.
Unless it is NUG to that group, time and place it should not happen.

When I first started I learned six civil war tunes and played them at an event. we were marked down for non authenticity due to the fact the violin was modern.
I asked if any other regiment was marked down for not having authentic music being played at all and was told no.

I have seen three good musician stoppered in this way.

It is not about the music it is about the authenticty.
This is kinda hard to swallow from a musician especially as a lot of comments are from non musicians.
Musicians have not changed in the way they think.
But I end it in the same way as last.

By the way I have one violin that has done odd things through string changes and has warped. That cost me and still I got canned.

We need to get the musicians there, playing and in the hobby first, then correct them.

[eric marten]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

It takes about 20 minutes to de-farb a modern violin and make it appropriate in appearance and sound for 19th century living history. The materials are easily obtainable, and not expensive - gut strings are actually less expensive than many modern synthetic strings. Period music is not period if played on modern instruments. A modern violin with synthetic or steel strings is as inappropriate at an event as a bluegrass banjo, electronic keyboard, saxophone or PA system. The five fiddlers at the living history museum where I work would not dream of bringing one of the afore mentioned modern items to an event (even the twelve year old fiddler). The presence of these instruments usually chases away period instrument players, who cannot compete with the loud volume and metallic sound of modern instruments.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

And dance. Jig dancing. We need more of that. You young fellers, want to stand out in a crowd of reenactors, and get a cardiovascular workout at the same time? Learn to jig dance.

If you've ever seen the veteran videos, you see The Old Fellows dancing the heck out of the jig quite a lot. I agree with you, Carl!

[Spinster]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Also, besides piano arrangements, guitar arrangements abound in surviving sheet music. WE NEED MORE CORRECT GUITAR PLAYERS IN THE HOBBY. Sorry to yell there, but I feel strongly about that. How many times have you seen a reenactor play period fingerstyle music at living histories?

.

Want to fall hopelessly in love with a correct guitar player?



From The Alabama Department of Archives and History Collection

http://216.226.178.196/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/photo&CISOPTR=6983&CISOBOX=1&REC=5

http://216.226.178.196/u?/photo,6983

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Hallo!

"Want to fall hopelessly in love with a correct guitar player"

Would I have to learn maybe Basque or maybe Galician Celt first?

Just a-funnin'.... :) :)

Curt
Eyeing up my wife's family CW era zither Mess

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Gorgeous image, Mrs L!

As a vocalist, my primary focus has been on selecting songs that suit my impression needs, the location, etc... and then figuring out what sort of vocal style I ought to be using. If I have the opportunity to sing "professionally" on stage, will it be in a more trained, operatic style, or a "local girl makes good" style? If I'm singing to myself in a home setting, am I singing hymns (and if so, which tunes and which sect), or popular ballads, or? The little drifts of music other overhear are just as vital in accuracy as larger performance pieces, so this thinking carries all the way down to lullabies!

[Old Cremona]

Re: Musical Correctness - a conversation

Singing...the most important musical instrument, the voice. Everyone in the hobby should sing more. Even if you can't sing. Sing documented, popular tunes. Is there a more powerful tool in the arsenal that create an honest-to-gosh "moment" than a sing-along?

Albert Baur, in his Reminiscences, spoke of "seances" that he and his comrades would give, if the conditions were right, while on campaign (during Sherman's March to the Sea). The instrumental part, he said, was always the weakest part of the program... naturally, given the unfriendly conditions for instrument maintenance. (Although, he said, a sheet mental tin 'answered tolerably' for a tambourine). But the singing--he claimed that the singing that went on rivaled the best professional ensembles that he ever heard. When you get thousands of men together in one area, you're going to find some remarkable singers.

Gorgeous image, Mrs L!

As a vocalist, my primary focus has been on selecting songs that suit my impression needs, the location, etc... and then figuring out what sort of vocal style I ought to be using. If I have the opportunity to sing "professionally" on stage, will it be in a more trained, operatic style, or a "local girl makes good" style? If I'm singing to myself in a home setting, am I singing hymns (and if so, which tunes and which sect), or popular ballads, or? The little drifts of music other overhear are just as vital in accuracy as larger performance pieces, so this thinking carries all the way down to lullabies!