Lincoln's musical tastes

[nrandolph]

Re: Lincoln's musical tastes

I find it interesting that Lincoln would have a song about Jesus as his favorite considering that he was attacked for being a non-believer during his political campaigns. Maybe he just liked the tune of the song, or, my opinion here, that he was a very strong spiritual person that didn't care for the fabric of organized religion.

Thanks for all the interesting links and tidbits on this last reply! My wife is certainly getting more info to relay to her class than the standard Lincoln fare.
For example, she was doing a Lincoln art project with the kids and, in the background, she played a recording of The Magic Flute, reportedly being one of his favorite operas.

Thanks,
Neil Randolph
1st WV

[amity]

Re: Lincoln's musical tastes

This info is provided by Mark Wingate on discussions@fasola-

The following excerpts are from _Songs Lincoln Loved_, John Lair, 1954.
Lair was the founder of the Renfro Valley Barn Dance.

p. 6 : [ this is gleaned from the facsimile reproduction of a letter from David Turnham, "another of Lincoln's youthful companions." -- MW ]

"..one which Abe asked me to sing for his father. I complyed and the old gentleman would have me sing it often afterward.
It commenced thus
1. There was a romish lady brought up in popery

the Hymns used was Dr. Wats & Dupuys Hymns. I will name a few of the hymns sung in Church

Am I a soldier of the Cross, a follower of the lamb
How tedious and tasteless ..
There is a fountain ...
Alas and did my Savior ...
Jesus my all to heaven is gone
"

p. 9 -- [ this is all Lair's text from here on out -- MW ]
"David Turnham's inclusion of "The Romish Lady is substantiated by Dennis Hanks, who says it was a favorite of Abe's. At Abe's insistence young Turnham sang it for Thomas Lincoln also, and Abe and his father agreed it was the best of the lot. While it certainly could not be classed as a hymn I feel that, as a matter of historical interest, it should be included here."

p. 10
"Another hymn Abraham Lincoln never forgot ... "Death" ... Carl Sandburg and other Lincoln authorities have said that this was the hymn Ann Rutledge sang to Lincoln during the happy days of their courtship, .." "There is a legend that Ann sang this song to Abe as he sat for the last time by her sickbed a little while before she died."

[ the hymn included has six verses, the first beginning "Vain man, thy fond pursuits forbear;" -- MW ]

p. 11 -- [ some favorite poems are mentioned: "Mortality," which begins "Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?," and "The Last Leaf," by { Oliver Wendell } Holmes.

p. 14.
"In an old hymnal, _Select Melodies, ... is the hymn "Pilgrim Stranger." On the margin of the page is this handwritten notation by the owner, Elizabeth Funk: 'Lincoln heard Ann Rutledge sing this song before he fell in love with her.'
[ Lair states that Rutledge would have had to get the song from some other hymnal, but doesn't speculate what that might have been. ]

p. 15.
"... Philip Phillips, noted singing evangelist and hymnbook compiler [sang] 'Your Mission.' President Lincoln was so much impressed with this hymn that he sent up a note asking that before the meeting closed Mr. Phillips be asked to repeat it."

p. 20.
"One of the party songs, or show pieces, which Dennis Hanks says Lincoln often found useful, was 'Legacy,' with words by Thomas Moore and the tune of an old Irish drinking song. Neither the words nor the tune made 'Legacy' a fit companion for the hymns Allen Garden had gathered for his _Missouri Harmony_, but there it was, among its betters."
[ the version of Legacy printed is from the 1834 _Missouri Harmony_. -- "When in death I shall calm recline, .."

p. 27
"When Mrs. [ Jane Martin ] Johns herself sang "He Doeth All things Well," Mr. Lincoln said, "Don't let us spoil that song with any more music tonight." .. She says that she later played this favorite song for him many times, at his request."
[ http://www.pdmusic.org/1800s/47hdatw.txt -- MW ]

p. 70 [ not a hymn, but a "favorite." -- MW ]
" .. 'Twenty Years Ago.' He [ Marshall Lamon ] says that this, above all others, was the President's favorite, that no other song so touched his heart, and that he was often moved to tears by hearing it."

p. 76 [ favorite waltz : "Silver Bell Waltz," by A. A. Hopkins. ]

p. 82 [ other favorites, omitted from the book ]
"'Tell Me, Ye Winged Winds' ... a favorite of the Springfield days .. Lincoln heard [it] being played and sung as he passed a home in Springfield one evening; Lincoln was so impressed with it that he asked for and received a copy of it from the young lady who was singing it. "
"'The New Jerusalem,' said to be a favored hymn with Lincoln, ..."

[BenjaminLDavis]

Re: Lincoln's musical tastes

Barbara Allen was reportedly, President Lincoln's mother's favorite song. I've also read that Kathleen Mavourneen was a President Lincoln favorite.

I'll try to dig up some sources that support that.

I have been contemplating learning Barbara Allen to sing round the fire, but question if this
was still a popular song for the soldiers North and South. A lot of the "old songs" were
still popular, while others had fallen from favor to some degree.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Thanks.