Books stephen foster resources libguides at university of. Stephen foster, in full stephen collins foster, born july 4, 1826, lawrenceville now part of pittsburgh, pa. His paintings are in collections in at least twenty countries and every continent. Pitts stephen foster memorial contains two theaters. See all books authored by stephen foster, including love letters of great men vol. The stephen collins foster sketchbook kept in a safe at the.
These sources, along with fosters musical sketchbook, his account ledger, and his. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. This one is from the robert shaw chorale and they do a beautiful job with multiple singers. Stephen foster s seductive 1851 song old folks at home provides a challenging introduction to the antebellum period on the surface, it seems to be a straightforward song about missing ones childhood home. Sketchbook page of stephen foster louisville, ky, usa. Stephen foster s sketchbook is the handwritten book authored by early american composer and lyricist stephen collins foster. At right, the first edition sheet music of my old kentucky home, published in 1853. Susanna, camptown races, my old kentucky home, old black joe, beautiful dreamer and old folks at home swanee river remain popular over 150 years after their composition. Foster s ten children, little stephen became the baby of the family after his youngest brother died as an infant. Beautiful dreamer stephen foster from young at heart, 2008. Pittsburghborn composer stephen collins foster 18261864 is considered. Stephen foster sketched old kentucky home diagonally in.
This is one of foster s bestknown songs, and still the state song of kentucky. Stephen foster s sketchbook fully digitized version of foster s sketchbook. One of the gems of the foster hall collection in the university of pittsburghs center for american music, the sketchbook includes the draft texts for 64 songs. Foster s ten children plus a son fathered by william before the marriage and later raised as their oldest child, was born july 4, 1826, in a white cottage high on the hillside above the allegheny river in lawrenceville, east of pittsburgh. The song was published in january 1853 and believed to have been written the previous year. Is an antislavery ballad written by stephen foster, probably composed in 1852. His parents were william barclay foster, merchant and trader, and eliza clayland. This website makes available the full contents of the sketchbook of 19thcentury american composer stephen foster. Stephen foster has 89 books on goodreads with 1909 ratings. According to wikipedia, in foster s sketchbook, the song was originally entitled poor uncle tom, goodnight. Stephen foster was the first professional composer in american history, the first in a line reaching to irving berlin. It contains handwritten drafts of 64 foster songs, including some that were never published.
In 1853, foster broke up with his wife and he left for new york city. Selecting song list brings up the full list of songs contained in the sketchbook and clicking on the links. Stephen foster was the first great american songwriter. Stephen foster and the rise of american popular culture by ken emerson. When foster decided to pursue a musical career, he put himself to work with a pragmatic thoroughness. Joanne oconnells new book on stephen foster is the latest biographical. Stephen collins foster july 4, 1826 january, 1864, known as the father of american music, was the preeminent songwriter in the united states of the 19th century. Stephen foster, robert shaw, robert shaw chorale stephen. Doodah stephen foster and the rise of american popular. Harris, whose after the ball sold millions of copies of sheet music at the end of the 19th century and got a further boost from its inclusion in the musical show boat, is. Foster s sketchbook, now at the university of pittsburgh, shows he originally wrote the words poor uncle tom instead of old kentucky home.
He was about 27 years old and at the peak of his powers as a songwriter. His melodies are so much a part of american history and culture that most people think theyre folk tunes. Many of his songs, most of which were for the parlor or minstrel stage, achieved great popularity during his lifetime and. George washington wrote with the greatest concern to report a surrender at the forks of the monongahela. The origin story of my old kentucky home intrigues emily. Stephen collins foster, an enigmatic songwriter from pittsburgh, wrote my old kentucky home in 1853 for christys minstrels, one of the nations most popular traveling blackface music and comedy. In foster s sketchbook, the song was originally entitled poor uncle tom, goodnight. Join facebook to connect with stephen foster and others you may know. Stephen foster books list of books by author stephen foster. Stephen collins foster was born on july 4 th 1826 in a white cottage on a hill above the allegheny river on his familys 171 acre estate in the lawrenceville section of pittsburgh, pa. Fully digitized version of foster s sketchbook, searchable by any term that appears in the book.
African american music in stephen foster s time, uncle toms cabin takes the nation by storm, stephen foster backs pennsylvania democrat james buchanan and the yale glee club nixes foster. Stephen fosters sketchbook is the handwritten book authored by early american composer and lyricist stephen collins foster. Bingham says nobody knows why foster changed the lyrics before they were published, but she suspects it was to avoid offending pro. Today, the buildingthe stephen foster memorialhouses foster memorabilia, including his manuscripts, personal letters and personal sketchbook, in which he jotted down early drafts of many of his most popular compositions, including some never published. It spans a nineyear period beginning on june 26, 1851. Foster is honored on the university of pittsburgh campus with the stephen foster memorial, a landmark building that houses the stephen foster. The stephen collins foster sketchbook kept in a safe in the research library in the memorial. Watch stephen foster american experience official site. The recorded version of it you can play is performed bythe 97th regitmental string band see below.
Stephen foster and the rise of american popular culture ken emerson on. Pittsburgh stephen foster s personal sketchbookcontaining the draft texts of some of his most famous song lyrics as he wrote them in the 1850sis now online for the public to view. Born on july 4, 1826, stephen foster was a child when minstrel shows first arrived in pittsburgh. Bestselling author, photographer, consultant, and herbalist, steven foster, has 40 years of comprehensive experience in the herbal field.
This guide has been developed to provide information on resources for researching american composer stephen collins foster 18261864. January, 1864, new york was one of the first american songwriters to earn a living through composition alone. Learn the controversial history of my old kentucky home. Composer stephen collins foster in an 1859 daguerreotype. Susanna, jeanie with the light brown hair, swanee river properly old folks at home, camptown races, and my old. Stephen foster was a great song writer and there are many different renditions of his music, from many great artists. The pictorial sketchbook of pennsylvania, or, its scenery, internal improvements, resources, and agriculture, populary described, pictorial sketchbook of pennsylvania its scenery, internal improvements, resources, and agriculture, populary described the fourth part has separate t. The national history education clearinghouse considers it a. 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.
He now concentrates on painting abstracts and semiabstract landscapes. Stephen foster is one of the most enduring figures in 19th century american music a status borne out by the fact that he and his music are still being discussed in the 21st century. The sketchbook includes draft texts for sixtyfour different songs including several of his most popular ones. Frederick douglass wrote in his 1855 autobiography my bondage and my freedom that the song awakens.
My old kentucky home by stephen foster words lyrics old. A tribute to the composer whose melodies have become heart songs of the american people. The stephen collins foster sketchbook kept in a safe at the archives. Stephen fosteras sketchbook is a twelve by eightinch 30. The national history education clearinghouse considers it a useful resource for those researching foster or. Biography of stephen foster university of pittsburgh. Fully digitized version of the pamphlet written for the dedication of.
Steven foster, herbalist, photographer, author, biography. He started his career at the sabbathday lake, maine, shakers herb departmentamericas oldest herb business dating to 1799. Stephen foster wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Foster is honored on the university of pittsburgh campus with the stephen foster memorial, a landmark building that houses the stephen foster memorial museum, the center for american music, as well. Norman foster sketch book english and german edition. The songs of stephen foster songbook and millions of other books are available for. Cult of domesticity seneca falls hudson river school stephen foster washington irving elizabeth cady stanton susan b anthony grimke sisters ralph waldo emerson nathaniel hawthorne transcendentalism mormons joseph smith brigham young horace greeley american temperance society knickerbocker group deism noah webster dorothea dix. Norman foster sketch book english and german edition german paperback may 1, 1993 by norman foster author visit amazons norman foster page. Our digital collections university library system uls. Fosters sketchbook, and other ephemera related to stephen foster and his family.
Comrades was not included in foster s sketchbook, and it was the only song between 1852 and 1860 not published by firth, pond and company. My old kentucky home by stephen foster words lyrics old american folk state derby sing along song. It was donated to the university of pittsburgh library system by the foster family in the early 1930s. Stephen collins foster, who was of scots, irish and english descent, was born in lawrenceville, now part of the city of pittsburgh, pennsylvania, 1 and grew up as the youngest of ten children in a middleclass family that would eventually become nearly destitute after his father became an alcoholic.
Although only a few of his letters have been handed down, his. His sketchbook has the lines way down upon the old plantation. Collection provides a valuable record of stephen fosters composition. All entries are in similar handwriting in pencil, except for red pencil for verse 1 of old black joe p. The stephen foster memorial at the university of pittsburgh. Few know controversial story of my old kentucky home. Stephen foster s sketchbook is a twelve by eightinch 30. In a vault at the university of pittsburgh is fosters original sketchbook, which includes drafts of 64. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Foster originally wrote the song in response to stowes novel aspoor uncle tom, good. Stephen foster s most popular book is walking ollie. Raised in a musical family, he never received formal music lessons, but mastered the flute as a child, and sang with friends and neighbors. Stephen foster bibliography university of pittsburgh.
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