Chicago Sheet Music Collection, 1845-1871 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: Chicago Sheet Music Collection, 1845-1871

ID: 01/01/MSS00115

Primary Creator: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Library

Extent: 6.0 Cubic Feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

Arrangement reflects original ordering by the University Library in 15 volumes, which is primary ordered chronologically by acquisition date, then alphabetically by composer last name and title of the composition within volumes.

Volume 1: alphabetically by composer last name then title.

Volumes 2-5: chronologically by publication date across volumes (v. 2 1849-1861, v. 3 1862-1865, v. 4 1865-1871, v. 5 1871- undated) then alphabetically by composer and title within each volume.

Volumes 6-7, 9-11 contain imprints ordered alphabetically by composer last name and title across volumes in the following order: v.6 (A-E), v. 7 (F-K), v. 11 (L-O), v. 9 (R-V), v. 10 (W).

Volume 8 and volumes 12-15 are ordered alphabetically by composer last name and title within each volume.

The physical collection has been rehoused into 20 boxes, ordered continuously by item based off of the original call and volume numbers. See the finding aid for a box/item listing.

Date Acquired: 08/01/1939

Subjects: H. M. Higgins (Publisher), Higgins Brothers (Chicago, Ill.), Lyon & Healy, Music publishing -- Illinois -- Chicago, Root & Cady, United States - History - Civil War, 1861-1865

Forms of Material: Sheet Music

Languages: English, French, German, Italian

The Chicago Sheet Music Collection is a collection of 19th century sheet music printed in Chicago, Illinois before the Great Fire of 1871. It consists of a wide range of popular music from the time, including popular vocal and piano pieces, songs, ballads, waltzes, polkas, marches, comic pieces, opera selections, and parlor music. Thematic strengths include the American Civil War; stage shows and productions by comic actors, opera stars, minstrel performers, and family singing troupes; Chicago businesses and social organizations; and social issues such as temperance, reconstruction, and women's suffrage.

The items in the collection were predominantly published by the Chicago firms Root & Cady, H.M. Higgins, Lyon & Healy, and the DeMotte Brothers and their associated national imprints. Consisting of approximately 850 items, the collection was assembled by the University of Illinois Library between 1939-1943. Volumes 1-5, 8, 12, 14 and 15 contain music published and printed in Chicago, while volumes 6-7, 9-11, 13, and 15 contain imprints published in other American cities with Chicago distributors.

In 1939, the University of Illinois began collecting sheet music printed in Chicago before the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 in response to renewed interest in the academic community regarding Chicago’s role in music publishing during the Civil War and before the Fire. The Fire devastated the Chicago music industry, destroying the storefronts and inventories of most of the publishing houses. As a result, only one pre-Fire firm survived into the 20th century and information about the scale and national reach of the Chicago music publishing industry was largely forgotten. Between 1939 and 1943, the University Library amassed over 850 pieces of sheet music that either were printed in or would have been available in Chicago before 1871.

In 1941 the University Library hired a student assistant from the Library Science program to catalog and arrange the collection, Dena J. Polacheck Epstein (1916-2013). Epstein, who had a bachelor’s degree in music was inspired to write her master’s thesis, Music Publishing in Chicago before 1871: the Firm of Root & Cady, 1858-1871, using the Illinois collection, which was later serially published in the Music Library Association of America Notes journal between 1944-1946 and in a revised book edition in 1969, which has remained an influential work in the study of early American music publishing. Epstein later became a noted Music Librarian at the University of Chicago and an ethnomusicologist, best known for her foundational scholarship into early American Black folk music and her 1977 book Sinful Tunes and Spirituals: Black Folk Music to the Civil War.

Sources:

Epstein, Dena. Interview by Chris D’Arpa. 14 March, 2008. Voices of Illinois Oral History Portal, University of Illinois Archives. https://www.library.illinois.edu/voices/collection-item/dena-epstein/, Accessed 28 February. 2023.

Epstein, Dena Julia Polacheck. “Music Publishing in Chicago Prior to 1871 : the Firm of Root & Cady, 1858-1871”. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1943.

Epstein, Dena J. Polacheck. Music Publishing in Chicago before 1871 : the Firm of Root & Cady, 1858-1871. Detroit: Information Coordinators, 1969.

Epstein, Dena J. "Music Publishing" in Encyclopedia of Chicago, Chicago: Chicago Historical Society, 2005

University of Illinois Library. Annual Report 1939-1940. University of Illinois Archives, 35/1/801.

H. M. Higgins (Publisher)
Higgins Brothers (Chicago, Ill.)
Lyon & Healy
Music publishing -- Illinois -- Chicago
Root & Cady
United States - History - Civil War, 1861-1865

Repository: Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Alternate Extent Statement: 20 boxes (853 items)

Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions:

The RBML reproductions policies can be found here:

http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections/reproduction-services/

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would damage materials or involve violation of copyright law.

Acquisition Source: Purchased

Acquisition Method: Acquired between 1939-1943 through purchase installments from various rare book dealers including Edward H. Terry, L. E. Dicke, Fred Lockley, Wellman and Harry Dichter.

Related Publications: Epstein, Dena J. Polacheck. Music Publishing in Chicago before 1871: the Firm of Root & Cady, 1858-1871. Detroit: Information Coordinators, 1969.

Box and Folder Listing

Box 18

Volume 14

Item 44: "The Little Drummer Boy's March," comp. Karl Merz, 1864

Piano. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 45: "The Parting Song: quartette," comp. H.S. Perkins, lyrics by Kate E. Ducat, 1862

Piano, voice. Published by H.M. Higgins.

Item 46: "Ally Ray: song & chorus," comp. and lyrics by Wm. S. Pitts, 1864

Piano, voice. Published by H.M. Higgins.

Item 47: "The Cattle Bell at Evening," comp. W.J. Robjohn, 1866

Piano. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 48: "Glory! Glory!, or the Little Octoroon: song and chorus," comp. and lyrics by Geo. F. Root, 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 49: "Home's Harmony: Quartette" (from Root’s Collection of Vocal Quartetts; no. 3), comp. and lyrics by Geo. F. Root, 1861

Piano, voice (quartet). Published by Root & Cady.

Item 50: "How it marches the flag of the Union" (from Camps, Tramps and Battle-Fields: 20 popular melodies arranged as instrumental pieces for the piano-forte by Geo. F. Root; no. 16), comp. Geo. F. Root, 1865

Piano. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 51: "Fantasie Caprice," comp. Herman Schirner, 1862

Piano. Published by H.M. Higgins.

Item 52: "When my ship comes in!: Quartette & Chorus" (from Root & Cady's New Vocal Quartettes), comp. Geo. Haywood, arr. Geo. F. Root, lyrics by Geo. Haywood, 1867

Piano, voice (quartet). Published by Root & Cady.

Item 53: "Wooden Wedding Polka," comp. Geo. Schleiffarth, 1870

Piano. Publisher unknown (Chicago).

Item 54: "Blue-eyed darling Leoline," comp. and lyrics by William Seibert, 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 55: "in the Woods!," comp. Robert Schumann, lyrics by Eichendorff, 1867

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 56: "Maudie Moore" (from Six songs by J.R. Thomas), comp. J.R. Thomas, lyrics by Chas. Dickenson, 1864

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 57: "One by one" (from Six Songs by J.R. Thomas), comp. J.R. Thomas, lyrics by Miss Proctor, 1864

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 58: "Pining for the Old Fireside: song & chorus," comp. T. Martin Towne, lyrics by Josephine Furman, 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 59: "The Voice that I love," comp. T. Martin Towne, lyrics by Mrs. E.S. Kellogg, 1869

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 60: "Leaf by leaf the roses fall," comp. and lyrics by Arthur Vane, 1867

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 61: "The Angels told me so" (from Prairie Flowers; no. 10), comp. J.P. Webster, lyrics by Sydney Dyer, 1858

Piano, voice. Published by Higgins Brothers.

Item 62: "Do not wound the heart that loves thee: song & chorus," comp. J.P. Webster, lyrics by W. Dexter Smith Jr., 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 63: "Brave men, behold your fallen chief," comp. J.P. Webster, lyrics by H.C. Ballard, 1862

Piano, voice. Published by H.M. Higgins.

Item 64: "What then!: song & chorus," comp. J.P. Webster, lyrics by Mrs. Wm. H. Hammersley, 1869

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 65: "Where the little feet are waiting, or The Golden Stair," comp. J.P. Webster, lyrics by W. Dexter Smith, Jr., 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 66: "Beautiful Rose: song and chorus" (from Work's Popular Songs & Ballads; no. 8), comp. and lyrics by Henry C. Work, 1863

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 68: "Poor Kitty Popcorn: or the Soldier's Pet," comp. and lyrics by Henry C. Work, 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 69: "Ring the bell, watchman!: song and chorus," comp. and lyrics by Henry Clay Work, 1865

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 70: "Tis Finished! Or Sing Hallelujuah: song & chorus," comp. and lyrics by Henry C. Work, 1865

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 71: "The dearest spot of Earth to me is Home" (from Higgins Bros. Choice Selection of Popular Songs; no. 12), comp. and lyrics by W.T. Wrighton, undated

Piano, voice. Published by Higgins Brothers.

Item 72: "The Prayer," comp. and lyrics by Florence Ziegfeld, 1864

Piano, voice. Published by Reed's Temple of Music.

Item 73: "Serenade" (from Sounds from the West), comp. Richard Zellner, lyrics by Jas. T. Callanan, 1860

Piano, voice. Published by H.M. Higgins.

Volume 15

Item 1: "Among the clustering roses: ballad," comp. and lyrics by Carl Arini, 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 2: "Come back and dream a fairy tale: dream," comp. and lyrics by Carl Arini, 1866

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 3: "Thou art so near and yet so far" (from Sparkling Diamonds. A Collection of Beautiful Melodies easily arranged for the piano by Carl Arini; no. 11), comp. Carl Arini, 1865

Piano. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 4: "Voix du Coeur: Romance sans Paroles," comp. V.B. Aubert, 1868

Piano. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 5: "Laura Anna: Song & Chorus," comp. and lyrics by W.C. Baker, 1867

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 6: "L'Heure de la Prière" (from Six Popular Pieces by Ascher, Blumenthal, & Lefébure Wély; no. 4), comp. Lefébure Wély, arr. Albert W. Berg, 1862

Piano. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 7: "Venzano Valse" (from Six Popular Pieces by Ascher, Blumenthal, & Lefébure Wély; no. 6), comp. Venzano, arr. Albert W. Berg, 1862

Piano. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 8: "I live for those I love: song and chorus," comp. J.A. Butterfield, lyrics by Dexter Smith, 1869

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 9: "Hallie Lee: ballad for one or two Voices," comp. and lyrics by J. Morton Calkins, 1856

Piano, voice. Published by Root & Cady.

Item 10: "Nelly Lee," comp. H. Olynthus, lyrics by R.W. Carpenter, 1867

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 11: "Over the Rippling Sea (Santa Lucia): Ballad" (from The Vocalist's Repertoire, a collection of popular vocal music; no. 4), comp. and lyrics by T. Cottrau, trans. Thos. Oliphant, undated

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 12: "The Gal in the Dollar Store: song and dance," comp. Ann Dante, lyrics by Joe Haven, 1869

Piano, voice. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 13: "The Fairies' Frolic Polka," comp. Clestin Demeur, 1868

Piano. Published by Lyon & Healy.

Item 14: "The Missing Ship" (from Beautiful Flowers from Memory's Wreath. A collection of Songs and Ballads), comp. W. Howard Doane, lyrics by C.R. Morris, 1861

Piano, voice. Published by Judson Higgins.

Item 15: "I'm so happy I've forgotten what I'm singing: ballad," comp. and lyrics by Ossian E. Dodge, 1860

Piano, voice. Published by H.M. Higgins.