SONGS 1840 - 1860

[Jon Hall]

My group has been asked to play for the daughters of the Texas Republic. We've been asked to play songs that were from that time period.

Any suggestions from the cafe would be appreciated.

[Dolamon]

You may have a lot of luck exploring Stephen Foster's music ... his "Hard Times" still amazes me.

[OlderThanWillie]

Check out Jay Ungar & Molly Mason's CD of Civil War songs. Most of them make good mandolin songs. Hard Times is one of them.

[John Zimm]

You can check out the archive of American music at the Library of Congress website:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/mussmhtml/mussmhome.html

There are many pieces for violin at the site, and at least a couple I have seen with piano accompanyment.

-John.

[adgefan]

Free historic American sheet music from Duke University - #1850-1859

Thanks for that link - I just found the sheet music for Grafted into the Army on that site, one of my favourite songs! I love Henry Clay Work's music.

[ikesman]

You may want to check out recordings by the 2d South Carolina String Band. They play music from that period on period correct instruments.

[8ch(pl)]

"Streets of Laredo" just comes into that period as being circa 1860. The tune is an old Scots air "Bundle of Laurel" that goes back to the 1700's.

[Jon Hall]

I appreciate all of the suggestions. Those are a couple of great sites for sheet music.

We've made a set list for next Saturday. It's a luncheon so it's a short set. Our trio, Camino Real, plays mandolin, guitar, fiddle and claw hammer banjo.

Instr medley of Molly O'Hair/Missisippi Sawyer/Soldier's Joy and Arkansas Traveler
Oh Suzanna
The Fox
Hard Times Come Again No More
On Jordan's Stormy Banks/Campbell's Farewell

Thanks again for the help.

Jon Hall

[Scott Rucker]

a fave of mine from that period is The Girl I left Behind Me. It may actually be from the 1860's though.

[billkilpatrick]

maybe too late now but i think "puttin' on the agony, puttin' on the style" goes way back- bill

[Jon Hall]

I've never heard of "puttin' on the agony, puttin' on the style".

Is that the title or a line?

Jon

[Flowerpot]

Tone deaf beat me to it... The Girl I Left Behind goes back at least to the 1860's, as it was a Civil War march tune.

[billkilpatrick]

jon -

good question...

i heard pete seeger sing it and the chorus goes:

"puttin' on the agony, puttin' on the style
that's what all the young folks are doin' all the while
as i look around me i'm very apt to smile
to see so many people puttin' on the style"

at the time, i thought he was singing about ME! so i didn't much like it but try the alan lomax site for more info.

ciao - bill

[John Ritchhart]

Lorena. John Hartford said that Civil War Generals forbade the playing of this song in camp because it made the soldiers so homesick that they would desert.

[harwilli55]

Puttin on the agony puttin on the style was a Civil War era song about all the facades people put on to impress the ladies. Great song....fun to sing and play..... Also the Girl I Left Behind Me segues into Arkansas Traveler to make a great medley......we use Garry Owen in that medley also.....A great song from that period is called the Vacant Chair....along with Hard Times......Lorena......Soldiers Joy....She'll be Coming Round the Mountain....and so many others.....Sounds like a great play list ya got

Harlan

[Jon Hall]

We played the gig last Saturday and everyone had a good time. Even played an encore. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[stevenmando]

Hi I found that the public library in my area has a great section on music , in fact I found a couple of books on the music from the ozarks and this music goes for religious to civil war and many more, go to the library it is a great source of finding what you want.
I was looking for the sheet music from the movie the song catcher and I found it there and it all orginal sheet music. I never thougt of looking in the library but there it was and I can,t get enough.
I play the madolin and I love the music from the Ozarks. The section on music comprizes a whole wing of the library and I just scratched the surface on the kind of music that interests me so look in the library. GOOD HUNTING
STEVEN.