Stephen Foster's music "Is part of every Americans culture;" wrote composer Virgil Thomson; and certainly this is true; for few American composers have created songs as lastingly popular as "Beautiful Dreamer;" "Oh! Susanna;" "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair;" "Swanee River" (properly "Old Folks at Home"); "Camptown Races;" and "My Old Kentucky Home; Good Night." The fact remains; however; that Foster's melodies have suffered continually at the hands of revisers and arrangers; so that often whet we hear today is only a corrupt version of what Foster actually composed.This book corrects that situation by assembling 40 songs as Foster originally wrote them. Many have been reproduced from original first-edition sheets; others from early editions; others from facsimiles of first editions. All are reproduced with their covers; to help capture the flavor of the period. Along with the old favorites listed above you will find "The Glendy Burk;" "Ah! May the Red Rose Live Always;" "Massa's in de Cold Ground;" "Old Dog Tray;" "Old Black Joe;" "Nelly Bly;" and 28 more. Among these are patriotic songs about the Civil War; plantations slave songs written in dialect; minstrel songs written for traveling companies — most notably the original Christy Minstrels; and the soft; easy; sentimental ballads that have endeared Foster's music to so many for so long.Musicologically this volume is an important contribution to the reevaluation of Foster's work. It will also help bring people a little closer to the original work of one of America's best-loved composers. The text by Richard Jackson; head of the Americana Collection of the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts; New York Public Library; covers Foster's life and music and gives a short critical examination of each piece reproduced in this book.
#485661 in Books 2000-12-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.47 x .89 x 6.32l; 1.10 #File Name: 0471385026240 pagesISBN13: 9780471385028Condition: NewNotes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Review
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A rare look into the applied astronomy of the 18th century..By John RummelMost people have probably heard of the Mason-Dixon line; though they may not be aware of where or exactly what it is. I grew up less than three miles from the famous line that separates Maryland from Pennsylvania; and was aware that there were stone monuments spaced every mile along the boarder - but I had no idea of the origins of this line. Danson weaves the historical backdrop that necessitated the survey and follows Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon; two British astronomers; as they traveled to the colonies with their telescopes; quadrants; and mathematical expertise. A surveying job such as this required exquisite accuracy in the determination of latitude and longitude - a job for skilled astronomers in their day.For the more technically inclined; appendices are provided that go deeper into the methods surveyors use to shoot the lines. Given the amount of astronomy involved in such a surveying job; I wish the author would have provided more detail about the instruments Dixon and Mason used to accomplish their task. I'm sure it was not Danson's intention to cover this sort of technical instrumentation in detail; but in my (biased) opinion; it would have enhanced the story. Still an excellent book and one any person interested in the history of science should read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Amazing what they were able to accomplishBy City BakerIt's hard to imagine how much work Mason and Dixon had to put into this. Danson weaves an engaging trail to make it clear. Amazing what they were able to accomplish. Traveling with a grandfather clock; trunks; cutting down trees for a clear line of sight? It's all there.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHINGBy richard e whitelockLongitude; latitude; English Kings; Protestants versus Catholics; 200 Years of World History; and finally the contribution that Mason and Dixon made in drawing an accurate boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania.. This book has it all and doesn't mind discussing it all. Abolition; slavery; freemen are all a part of the dialog. Plenty of maps and sketches and for the reader who enjoys metes and bounds and boundary lines; this will be a real enjoyable and revealing journey.Read it today; but remember I warned you; it's not for the faint of art. This book is well researched and when all is said and done; you will be far more informed and educated in "Whatever." I actually enjoyed reading this book. But be made aware I warned you.
