Which of the Following Statesmen Was Known for Writing Art Songs

A lawyer, statesman, judge, scientist, and inventor, Francis Hopkinson was intimately involved in shaping and reporting upon America'southward pre-Revolutionary, Revolutionary and Constitutional eras.  All the same more important to the story of George Washington, Hopkinson's other various activities equally poet, performer, arranger, and composer of music offer a personal and creative view of these periods.  His music-related correspondence with Washington, together with the several pieces of music he equanimous for and almost Washington, reveal how very important music was in terms of the prosecution of war, foreign diplomacy and the expression of elite sensibilities in later 18th-century America.

Biographical Summary

Over a hundred years ago the musicologist Oscar Sonneck came upwards with a label for Hopkinson and it has stuck -- he was a "Gentleman Amateur" musician.¹  Similar Jefferson and Franklin, Hopkinson practiced music for the love of it and as a member of the aristocracy was not paid for such services.  He publicly performed at his own graduation anniversary, from the College of Philadelphia in 1757, and he well-nigh continuously wrote poems and songs through the years in which he passed the Pennsylvania bar (1761), served in the Continental Congress, signed the Announcement of Independence, and, from 1779 to the end of his life, served as a federal gauge.  Hopkinson served for a time as church organist, corresponded with Thomas Jefferson regarding a new type of quill for harpsichords, and collaborated with the brothers James and Robert Bremner, in Philadelphia and London respectively, regarding the importation of music and instruments.  During his travels through Ireland and England in 1766-67 he interacted with other musicians and wrote home about performances there.  In add-on to serving at the Ramble Convention, Hopkinson co-chaired, with artist Charles Willson Peale, the committee to celebrate Pennsylvania'due south ratification of the Constitution, on July four, 1788.  He wrote a rich and detailed business relationship of this enormous, k parade, having already composed an appropriate vocal "The Raising," described further below.^two

Former Washington Library research fellow, Dr. David Hildebrand describes how harpsichords work and the unique audio that they make.

Pregnant Musical Activities

When a student, Hopkinson composed and performed many miscellaneous odes and instrumental works at the College of Philadelphia.  He later arranged and had published two collections of sacred music, and had a psalm setting published in yet a third.  He was an organist, harpsichordist, and singer.ⁱⁱⁱ

During the Revolution Hopkinson composed the satirical "Battle of the Kegs" (1778),"^four and the more serious "A Toast" (1778), likewise as the oratorio Temple of Minerva (1781)."  After peace, in 1788, he wrote a collection of seven songs (8 songs, really; discussed below) and "The Raising: A Song for Federal Mechanics" which he wrote for the chiliad ratification parade in Philadelphia, July 4, 1788.  Rich in symbolism, this songs calls all American workers to construct a proud metaphorical edifice for the newly-ratified document, the penultimate verse declaring:

Come up, raise up the turret, our glory and pride:

In the eye it stands, o'er the whole to preside;

The sons of Columbia shall view with delight

Its pillars and arches, and towering height:

For our roof we will heighten, and our vocal still shall exist,

A Federal Head, o'er a people nevertheless free.

In add-on to several other minor works published, considerable music survives in Hopkinson manuscripts, ably surveyed past Gillian B. Anderson, along with her excellent analysis of Temple of Minerva.⁵

Benjamin Franklin, a shut friend of Francis' male parent Thomas Hopkinson, died in 1790.  Just a yr before his own death, Francis Hopkinson composed an "Ode--Sacred to the Memory of Dr. Franklin," which was performed then at the Higher of Philadelphia, his new lyrics based on the English melody "Flow Yard Sweet Afton."  This vocal became the first piece of music to exist printed with musical notation in an American newspaper.⁶  Like Franklin, Hopkinson too wrote well-nigh music, a good case of which is his "On the Comport of a Church building Organ."⁷  Hopkinson would not live long plenty to bring together the many other professional and amateur composers who honored Washington'due south death in 1799 past composing odes and dirges for him.

Other works attributed to Hopkinson, yet not proven to be his compositions, include "Gen. Washington's March (at the Battle of Trenton)" and one of several tunes going nether the title "Washington's March."⁸

David and Ginger Hildebrand perform "At Toast" and "Ode on the Expiry of Franklin."

Hopkinson's Relationship with George Washington

Outside their voluminous wartime correspondence, two extraordinary letters between Hopkinson and George Washington shed rare light on the first president's attitudes towards the arts.  Both letters business organisation the collection of songs Hopkinson wrote under the title Seven Songs for the Harpsichord or Forte Piano. The Words and Music Composed by Francis Hopkinson, which was published in Philadelphia in 1788 past T. Dobson, with a formal dedication to Washington.

Hopkinson begins the commutation on December 1st, 1788, with a flourishy alphabetic character from which the following of import sentences are extracted:

Had I asked your Permission to compose, & dedicate to you a Book of Songs, you would, probably, take said—"Your Scheme is full of Inconsistency—You are neither a Poet nor a Musician, & all the same you would write Verses & set them to Music—and yous would dedicate your Work to me, knowing that I can neither play Musick nor sing Songs—y'all certainly mean that nosotros should both exist laugh'd at...

These Songs were composed occasionally for the Apply of my Daughters, without any View to Publication. When I constitute they had accumulated to seven or 8 Songs I idea of publishing them, from an Ambition of being recognized every bit the outset Denizen of the Usa who had produced a Work of this kind—And I defended my Work to yous, considering I love and respect you—And this is the Truth, the whole Truth, & nothing just the Truth and then assistance me Apollo & the Nine Muses.

With my best Regards to Mrs Washington I am, Dear Sir Your sincerely affectionate Friend & humble Retainer

Fras Hopkinson⁹

On February five, 1789 Washington answers Hopkinson at length:

Honey Sir,

We are told of the amazing powers of musick in ancient times; . . . . . If I before doubted the truth of their relations with respect to the ability of musick, I am at present fully convinced of their falsity, because I would non, for the honor of my Country, permit that we are left past Ancients at an immeasurable distance in everything; and if they could sooth the ferocity of wild beasts, could describe the trees and the Stones after them, and could even charm the powers of Hell past their musick, I am sure that your productions would take had at least virtue plenty in them (without the aid of vox or instrument) to melt the Water ice of the Delaware and Potomack , . . .

I can neither sing one of the songs, nor raise a single note on any instrument to convince the unbelieving, but I have, however, one argument which will prevail with persons of true sense of taste (at least in America), I can tell them that it is the production of a Mr. Hopkinson."^x

Thus, in the words of Washington himself, and those of Hopkinson writing to him every bit well,  it is clear that despite his honey of music, trip the light fantastic toe, and theatre George Washington was non musical.

Some other connectedness between Francis Hopkinson and Washington exists through Hopkinson'due south son, Joseph.  Joseph Hopkinson wrote lyrics to "The President's March," a piece composed for Washington by captured Hessian Philip Phile, apparently for Washington's first inaugural. Joseph'due south lyrics were entitled "Hail, Columbia!" and this song became the unofficial national anthem of the United States mid-fashion through the 19th century.¹¹

His friendship with George Washington was such that Hopkinson hoped the nation's first president would appoint him as chief court musician,¹² but such an aloof position was not to materialize within the new experiment in nationhood, the United States.

David Hildebrand, Ph.D.
The Colonial Music Plant

Notes:

i. This and nearly of the residual of this paragraph based upon Oscar C.G. Sonneck's groundbreaking Francis Hopkinson - The First American Poet-Composer (1737-1791) [published together with James Lyon - Patriot, Preacher, Psalmodist (1735-1794)] (Washington, DC: H.50. Queen, 1905), 9, 26-39.  Sonneck lays out Hopkinson'due south biography and accomplishments in keen detail.  Few of the later works cited below challenge or add together much to these findings.  Sonneck as well helped continue live the assertion that Hopkinson composed the nation'due south "First Fine art Song" a merits of continued contend today.

2. Francis Hopkinson's Account of the M Federal Procession, Philadelphia, July 4, 1788 (Old South Leaflets No. 230-231, ed. by Whitefield J. Bong, Jr.),  A "ring of music" accompanied this parade, and on the same day costless performances of a concert and an opera were offered in the urban center.  James R. Heintze. Music of the Fourth of July - A Year-by-Year Chronicle of Performances and Works Composed for the Occasion, 1777-2008 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2009), 18-xix.

3. Sonneck, Francis Hopkinson, 79-80, 92-94.

four. Chocolate-brown University owns a printed re-create from 1791, and a copy of a much later version, dated 1866, tin can exist found at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.088016734;view=1up;seq=i;size=75

5. Gillian B. Anderson "`The Temple of Minerva' and Francis Hopkinson: A Reappraisal of America's First Poet-Composer" Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society (vol. 120, no. 3, 1976), 173-77.  Come across besides recording and score based upon this work, listed in this article's bibliography.  Poetry to "The Raising" from Pennsylvania Gazette, February 6, 1788.

six. Katherine Hines Mahan. "Hopkinson and Reinagle: Patriot-Musicians of Washington's Time" Music Educators Journal (vol. 62, No. eight, April, 1976), 4-50, 43; Massachusetts Spy (Worcester) Sept.2, 1790.  Franklin'due south ode is record by David and Ginger Hildebrand Music in the Life of Benjamin Franklin (Annapolis, Doctor: Colonial Music Institute, 2006), track 23.  Hopkinson'southward lyrics as well circulated in An Exercise, Performed at the Public Showtime, in the College of Philadelphia, July 17, 1790: Containing an Ode, Set to Music, Sacred to the Memory of Dr. Franklin. (Philadelphia, William Young, 1790).

vii. This informative advice about how an organist is to play tastefully, not lavishly, is reproduced in total in Sonneck, Francis Hopkinson, 59-62.

8. Sonneck, op. cit., 202-03.

9. Francis Hopkinson to George Washington, December 1, 1788. The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition, ed. Theodore J. Crackel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Printing, Rotunda, 2008.  Canonic URL: http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/GEWN-05-01-02-0110 [accessed xx Oct 2016]  Original source: Presidential Series (24 September 1788–31 March 1795), Volume one (24 September 1788–31 March 1789).   The dedication published forth with the music waxes quite poetic:

"I Embrace, with heart-felt satisfaction, every opportunity that offers of recognizing the personal Friendship that hath so long subsisted betwixt us. The present Occasion allows me to do this in a mode most flattering to my Vanity; and I have accordingly taken reward of information technology, by presenting this Piece of work to your Patronage, and honouring it with your Name."

 "Information technology cannot exist thought an unwarrantable anticipation to await upwardly to yous as seated in the most dignified situation that a grateful People can offer. The universally avowed Wish of America, and the Nearness of the Period in which that Wish will be accomplished, sufficiently justify such an Apprehension; from which arises a confident Hope, that the same Wisdom and Virtue which has then successfully conducted the Artillery of the The states in Times of Invasion, War, and Tumult, will bear witness also the successful Patron of Arts and Sciences in Times of national Peace and Prosperity; and that the Celebrity of America will ascent conspicuous under a Government designated by the Volition, and an Administration founded in the Hearts of the people. . . . Still pocket-size the Reputation may be that I shall derive from this Work, I cannot, I believe, be refused the Credit of being the first Native of the United States who has produced a Musical Composition. If this attempt should not be also severely treated, others may be encouraged to venture on a path, nonetheless untrodden in America, and the Arts in succession will have root and flourish amongst us.

"I hope for your favourable Acceptance of this Marker of my Affection and Respect, and have the Laurels to be Your Excellency's most obedient, and Most humble Servant, F. HOPKINSON."

10. George Washington to Francis Hopkinson, February 5, 1789, The Writings of George Washington, xxx:196-197.

xi. Nelly Custis hand copied these new words on a sheet preserved at Harvard and reproduced in Judith Due south. Britt, Zip More Agreeable: Music in George Washington's Family (Mountain Vernon, VA:  The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, 1984), 49.  "The Star-Spangled Banner" would non gain official status every bit the national anthem of the U.s.a. until 1931.

12. Mahan, "Hopkinson and Reinagle," 42.

Select Musical Scores

Francis Hopkinson America Independent or, The Temple of Minerva; Political and Patriotic Music of the American Revolution, Gillian B. Anderson, ed. (Washington, DC: C.T. Wagner, 1978). [music score]

Maurice Hinson, Krauss, Anne McClenny Krauss, and David Carr Glover. Music for the Washingtons : a collection of keyboard pieces and songs performed in Philadelphia during the early days of the young democracy (Belwin Mills: 1988) [Musical Score] This collection includes the beginning of Hopkinson'south "Vii Songs," - "Come, fair Rosina."

Petrucci Music Library offers free digital images, and printed copies for purchase, of the original 1788 imprint of "Seven Songs" plus scores to arrangements of these songs, by Harold Vincent Milligan (1888-1951) Boston: Arthur P. Schmidt Co., 1918.  Public Domain. http://imslp.org/wiki/8_Songs_with_Keyboard_Accompaniment_(Hopkinson,_Francis)

Representaive Recordings:

America Independent or, The Temple of Minerva (Philadelphia, 1781) - The Colonial Singers and Players, Gillian B. Anderson, Director.  13 tracks, overture through terminal chorus Musical Heritage Society, MHS 3684, 1977 (LP tape; insert includes total text as recorded).

America Sings, Vol. one: The Founding Years (1620-1800) The Gregg Smith Singers (VoxBox, 2 CDs: CDX 5080, 1993 re-issue of 1976 lp set) includes every selection from Hopkinson's 7 (Eight Songs):

George Washington: Music for the First President    Colonial Music Institute, H-105 1999 - David & Ginger Hildebrand.

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Source: https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/francis-hopkinson/

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