Providence Brigade Program

Cheer Boys Cheer

Henry Russell

Henry Russell, the famous English showman, lived in America from 1833 through 1841 and wrote several of his most enduring songs during his stay. A Life On the Ocean Wave, Woodman, Spare That Tree, and The Old Arm Chair were others composed during his tenure as organist of the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, New York. He studied with Rossini in Naples. “Cheer”, which was later adopted by the British Army as the official troop departure song, originally appeared in a production entitled “Far West or the Emigrant's Progress.” Dr. Charles Mackay, who later became the editor of The Illustrated London News and war correspondent of The Times during America’s Civil War, wrote the words.

Home Sweet Home

Henry Bishop

This song was written in 1823 by Sir Henry Rowley Bishop.  During the American Civil War this was the most popular song of soldiers both North and South. It is from the opera Clari. The opera was mediocre, at best, and did not remain on stage for long. Despite the opera’s lack of success, the song was immensely popular and survived the opera’s demise. There are several accounts of the song being sung and played by opposing troops in close proximity. Shortly after the Battle of Fredericksburg, a federal band struck up the tune, which was quickly followed by a Confederate band from across the Rappahannock. Then every other regimental band in the area began playing it. Noting there wasn’t a dry eye to be found, Frank Mixson, of the 1st South Carolina Vols. Said, “if there hadn’t been a river between them, the two armies would have settled the war on the spot.” Later that month (Dec. 1862) a similar event took place at Murfreesboro, TN. After alternating tunes for some time, the bands played Home! Sweet Home! together. The next morning the armies slaughtered one another at the Battle of Stone’s River. 12,000 lives were lost in the 3-day engagement.

Carry Me Back To Old Virginny Shores

Charles T. White

Written in 1845 by Charles T. White.  White's minstrel song “Oh, Carry Me Be Back to Ole Virginia's Shore” should not be confused with James Bland's “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny,” written in 1878.  James Sanford introduced the song while performing in Philadelphia with the Virginia Serenaders. E.P. Christie also laid claim to the tune. White started the Kitchen Minstrels in 1844 and later established his own theater in New York City. The lyric speaks of an oysterman who worked hard all of his life, and now in his last days wanted only to be carried back to his homeland.  References in Union soldier diaries, and its inclusion in the G.A.R.'s American Veteran Fifer, indicate the song was popular with Northern soldiers as well.  Confederate soldiers sang it as they re-crossed the Potomac after the Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg, the bloodiest day in American history. 

Light Of Other Days

Michael W. Balfe

This aria is taken from the opera, The Maid of Artois by Alfred Bunn. Bunn was a poet and theater manager. He commissioned Balfe to write the music. Its premiere on May 27, 1836 at Drury Lane theatre in London was a great financial success, largely due to the celebrated mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran’s performance. Balfe and Malibran had become close friends while both were singers at La Scala. Balfe wrote the music especially for her. Malibran later called Balfe “The English Rossini.” Twenty years after its premiere, Light of Other Days was described as “the most popular song in England that our days have known.” Bunn later managed both Covent Garden and Drury Lane.

Be Kind To The Loved Ones At Home

Isaac Baker Woodbury

As a composer of hymns, Isaac B. Woodbury could proudly say more of his hymns were being sung than any by his contemporaries during his lifetime. One can occasionally find some of his hymns in present-day hymnals though they are becoming more rare. One can still find his tune “SELENA” coupled with Charles Wesley's “O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done.”  This song was written by Woodbury in 1847.

Thou Art Gone from My Gaze – 1:50

George Linley

This song was written in 1849 by George Linley. The alternative title of this lovely song is “The Spirit of Love Keeps a Watch Over Me.” The titles suggest this may have been used at funeral and memorial services but would not be out of place as a twilight serenade.

Jenny Lind Polka

Alan Dodworth

This song written by Alan Dodworth in 1850 in honor of her tour which began in 1850.  “The Swedish Nightingale” was one of the most eminent and popular sopranos of the 19th Century. She was said to have a “remarkably sympathetic voice of great compass, remarkable purity, breath, endurance and flexibility.” Her operatic début, 1838, in Der Freischütz, was followed by many successful engagements, including Lucia di Lammermoor and Daughter of the Regiment. She left the opera in 1849 and began concertizing to enormous success. Her tour with P.T. Barnum (1850-52) earned her $120,000. Such was her popularity and generosity that a bust of her is in Westminster Abbey, and in 1927, Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse produced a Broadway musical based on her life, called “The Nightingale.” Her most popular encore was “Home, Sweet Home.”

Medley Of National Airs

All four songs of this medley were seriously considered to become our national anthem but as we know the Star-Spangled Banner won that contest in 1931.

Red White & Blue

Is now more commonly known as Columbia, Gem of the Ocean, “RWB” has a rather dubious past. Prior to its Americanization, the song was published in Great Britain as Britannia, Pride of the Ocean in 1842, while, in America, David T. Shaw published the song as Columbia, the Land of the Brave in 1843. Thomas Beckett, a writer of renown, claimed it as his own.  He republished the song as Columbia, Gem of the Ocean.  In 1861, John J. Daly published the work under the title The Red, White and Blue and gave no credit to either Shaw or Beckett, calling it merely a “National Song”.

Yankee Doodle

Traditional

So much has been written, speculating on the origins of this song that attempts to trace its source are futile. Critically, the tune is weak and the lyrics pathetic -- just the kind of song a soldier could love! Originally intended as an insult to the Continental Army, the tune was picked up and sung with gusto by the colonists. It became a unifying thread among soldiers for the newly United States and a bond of solidarity for Union and Confederate soldiers with their forefathers. This was one of only two tunes General U.S. Grant said he knew. The other tune wasn't.

Hail Columbia

Philip Phile

Written in 1789 by Philip Phile it was originally titled “The President's March” and it served in that capacity until the mid 19th Century when Hail To The Chief replaced it. Hail Columbia is now the official march of the Vice President.  

America

Henry Carey

The tune also known as “God Save the King” is attributed to Henry Carey, who lived from 1685 to 1743.  The actual composer of God Save the King has never been determined. American songbooks often listed Henry Carey though he never claimed it. His son, in an effort to receive a pension from the British Government, stated his father wrote the words in 1745 or 1746. He had forgotten his father died in 1743! After the Declaration of Independence, many new American words were written and in 1831 Rev. Samuel Francis Smith penned his version My Country! 'Tis of Thee.

Chimney Nook

Henry Moore

This is a medley of two songs.  The first song is unknown but it is a good lead into the second song "Turkey in the Straw".  This song is an American folk song that first gained popularity in the 19th century. Early versions of the song were titled "Zip Coon", which was first published around 1834 and performed in minstrel shows, with different people claiming authorship of the song. The melody of "Zip Coon" later became known as "Turkey in the Straw"; a song titled "Turkey in de Straw" with different music and lyrics was published in 1861 together with the wordless music of "Zip Coon" added at the end, and the title "Turkey in the Straw" then became linked to the tune of "Zip Coon". This arrangement is attributed to Henry Moore of the Ellsworth Brass Band.

Star of the County Down

Irish Traditional/C.L. Johnston

A traditional Irish tune from the 18th century. This song was arranged for full brass band by Charles L. Johnston a former band director from Monroe Louisiana, and member of the 2nd Louisiana String Band.  Though the tune is much older, it was first printed in the book “English Country Songs” in 1893. It’s the story of a young suitor courting the most beautiful girl in county Down, Ireland. The lyrics are attributed to Cathal McGarvey, a poet of the second half of the 19th century.

Minstrel Medley Overture

S. Ehrlich

Composed in 1848 by Raphael Triay. Triay enlisted as the leader of the Whitehouse Marine Corps Band on Dec. 10, 1836. He served his first term as leader until May 22, 1843, and again from July 8, 1848 until his death on Sept. 9, 1855.

The overture was scored for the instrumentation of the Marine Corps band as it existed in 1848, with keyed brasses, woodwinds, and percussion. A recently discovered piece of piano sheet music dating to 1844, and titled “The Ethiopian Medley Overture”, by S. Ehrlich is identical to Triay’s arrangement. Triay probably used it to score his band arrangement.  The overture is based on popular minstrel tunes of the time, which was considered the “pop” music of the mid-19th Century. Some recognizable tunes are: “De Boatman’s Dance”, “Miss Lucy Long”, “Goin’ Over De Mountain”, and “Dandy Jim From Caroline”.

Triay’s original hand-written manuscript parts can be found in the Francis M. Scala Collection in the Library of Congress. Paul Mayberry re-arranged Traiy’s work for mid-19th Century brass band.

Old Dan Tucker & The 8th of January

Daniel Emmett

Originally published in a series of seven Original Banjo Melodies in 1843. “Tucker” was part of one of the first minstrel shows by the Virginia Minstrels with “Old Dan” Emmett (violin and banjo) Billy Whitlock (banjo) Frank Brower (Bones) and Dick Pelham (Tambo). Though the lyrics were by Emmett, the melody seems to have been in common use at the time of publication. January 8, 1815, is the date of Andrew Jackson's capture of New Orleans “with an ax in one hand, a spade in the other, and a rifle between his teeth”. The tune was a popular fiddle and fife selection and was used in 1959 by Johnny Horton (aka: Jimmy Driftwood) in his re-telling of “The Battle of New Orleans.”

Personel

Lisa Amaral – Db Piccolo

Eric Willis - Eb Cornet

Tyler Senos – Bb Cornet 

Stephen Cabral – Bb Cornet

David Regoli - Bb Cornet

Andre Soares – Bb Cornet

Gerry Heroux - Alto Horn

CJ Regoli – Alto Horn

George Proulx - Tenor Horn

Jeanette Berger – Baritone

Bill DiLibero - Tuba

Melissa Willis – Tuba

Brian Jean – Snare Drum

Matthew MacAlister – Bass Drum

Andrew Larsen – Cymbals