The Fourth of July 1826 was a red letter day for America. It was the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died that day at ripe old ages, although thanks to the primitive communications of the era, neither man knew of the other’s demise. And on that day Stephen Foster was born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, just east of Pittsburgh, as the last surviving infant of a large family.
In an era before widespread public schooling, Stephen received private tutoring and went to private schools in the region. He hated it. But music was the one thing that excited his imagination, and his musical training from a German immigrant was thorough. It was music that led to Stephen’s avid reading, and he became a literate man by the standards of his era.
Stephen had as his friends sons of some of the best families in Pittsburgh. He founded an all-male club, the Knights of the Square Table, which met in the Foster home, where he acted as a song leader and then composer. His first works came from this little gathering of friends.
In 1844, at the age of 18, Stephen had one of his songs, written for the Knights, published in Philadelphia. Thomas Hampson is one of our great operatic baritones, and he has made a specialty of Foster’s music, which is finally being taken seriously.
Good evening, Publius...((HUGS))...I really enjoy a lot of Stephen Foster’s music. Looking forward to listening when I get home.
Very interesting subject tonight. I guess we all grew up singing some of his songs in school. :)
I really like Stephen Foster’s Songs.
My students like them too.
I tell them that in Foster’s day, there were NO iPads, iPods, Nanos, MP3 Players, cd’s, videos, or even Cassettes or RECORDS. Everybody had a piano in the Parlor, and if you wanted to hear a Stephen foster song, you could play it on the piano.
Which meant you HAD to be able to READ Sheet Music!