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

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Collection Overview

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

Abstract

A collection of 19th century sheet music printed in Chicago, Illinois before the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

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.

Collection Historical Note

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.

Subject/Index Terms

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

Administrative Information

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

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Box 9],
[Box 10],
[Box 11],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15],
[Box 16],
[Box 17],
[Box 18],
[Box 19],
[Box 20],
[All]

Box 8

Volume 7

Item 6: "The music of the birds: duet" (from Bouquet of Beautiful Duetts, by Steph. Glover), comp. and lyrics by Steph. Glover, before 1871: Piano, voice. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 7: "Mabel: Valse de Daniel Godfrey" (from Mabel Waltzes for the Piano Forte), comp. D. Godfrey, before 1871: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 8: "The Dying Poet: meditation," comp. L. Gottschalk, 1864: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 9: "The last hope: religious meditation," comp. L.M. Gottschalk, 1855: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 10: "O Loving heart, trust on!," comp. L.M. Gottschalk, lyrics by Henry C. Watson, 1864: Piano, voice. Published by Wm. Hall & Son (New York).
Item 11: "Réponds moi: Di que si," comp. L.M. Gottschalk, 1864: Piano (four hands). Published by Wm. Hall & Son (New York).
Item 12: "La Scintilla = the spark: Mazurka Sentimentale," comp. L.M. Gottschalk, 1854: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 13: "Arkansas Traveler: with variations" (from Happy Thoughts: A Selection of Beautiful Melodies with brilliant variations by Charles Grobe), comp. Charles Grobe, 1866: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 14: "Cheerfulness = Frohsinn: duet," comp. and lyrics by F. Gumbert, 1869: Piano, voice. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 15: "Good night galop: Gungl" (from Musical Photographs: A collection of the most popular and beautiful melodies of the day, arranged as teaching pieces by D. Angelo; no. 15), comp. D. Angelo, 1864: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 16: "My first march" (from Pleasant Dreams for the piano by various authors; no. 4), comp. F. Haase, 1868: Piano. Published by J.J. Dobmeyer & Co. (Cincinnati).
Item 17: "Sweet music," comp. James Harrison, lyrics by H.O. Hedge, Esq., 1871: Piano, voice. Published by Benham Bros. & Co. (Indianapolis).
Item 18: "Nora O'Neal: song and chorus," comp. and lyrics by Will. S. Hays, 1866: Piano, voice. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 19: "Bride of the wind galop" (from Elite: A collection of the latest fashionable Dance Music as played during the last season by Helmsmüller's Germania Orchestra. Composed, Selected, & Arranged by F.B. Helmsmüller; no. 5.), comp. and arr. F.B. Helmsmüller, 1863: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 20: "Faust Lanciers," comp. F.B. Helmsmüller, 1864: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 21: "First flirtations: waltz" (from Elite: A collection of the latest fashionable Dance Music as played during the last season by Helmsmüller's Germania Orchestra. Composed, Selected, & Arranged by F.B. Helmsmüller; no. 2), comp. and arr. F.B. Helmsmüller, 1863: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 22: "Just once more!: Galop" (from Elite: A collection of the latest fashionable Dance Music as played during the last season by Helmsmüller's Germania Orchestra. Composed, Selected, & Arranged by F.B. Helmsmüller; no. 9), comp. and arr. F.B. Helmsmüller, 1864: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 23: "Tȇte à tȇte: galop," comp. F.B. Helmsmüller, 1865: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 24: "Puck Wudjie's Galop," comp. F.B. Helmsmüller, 1864: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 25: "To the mast nail our flag" (from Vocal Beauties: A collection of Songs & Ballads by Various authors), comp. H.D. Hewitt, lyrics by L.E.L., 1846: Piano, voice. Published by Henry Tolman & Co. (Boston).
Item 26: "Somebody'll be at the dance tonight," comp. and lyrics by Mrs. W.D. Hillis, 1868: Piano, voice. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 27: "Now the summer days have come," comp. and lyrics by C.R. Hodge, 1868: Piano, voice. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 28: "La Redemption: polka elegante," comp. Harry Hofer, 1866: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 29: "Brilliant Variations on the Sweet By and By," comp. J.P. Webster, transcr. Ed. Hoffman, 1871: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 30: "L' Estasi" (from Waltz Mania. First Series), comp. J.H. Hoffman, 1867: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 31: "Souvenir de Trovatore: de Verdi," comp. Richard Hoffman, 1856: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 32: "Venice: A midnight sketch," comp. Richard Hoffman, 1867: Piano. Published by Wm. Hall & Son (New York).
Item 33: "Beautiful Bird! Sing on," comp. and lyrics by T.H. Howe, 1867: Piano, voice. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 34: "Les bords du Rhin: Grande valse brilliante" (from Piano-forte Folio: A choice selection of Brilliant and Instructive Compostions by favorite authors), comp. Francois Hunten, 1866: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 34, cop. 2: "Les bords du Rhin: Grande valse brilliante" (from Piano-forte Folio: A choice selection of Brilliant and Instructive Compostions by favorite authors), comp. Francois Hunten, 1866: Piano. Published by Wm. A. Pond & Co. (New York).
Item 35: "Knights Templar: mazurka" (from Gems from the Valley: A choice selection of Instrumental Compositions by Popular Composers; no. 2), comp. J.H. Kalbfleisch, 1861: Piano. Published by W.S. Mackie (Rochester).
Item 36: "Flick et flock: Galop due ballet de hertel: Feuerwehr Galop" (from A collection of favorite Dance Music, composed by Labitsky, Lanner, Strauss, D'Albert, Ascher, &c. arranged for two performers), comp. and transcr. F. Ketterer, arr. Jos. Rummel, before 1871: Piano (four hands). Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 37: "Charming Waltz," comp. C. Kinkel, 1864: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 38: "Maryland my Maryland" (from Gems of the South: A collection of favorite melodies with brilliant variations; no. 3), comp. C. Kinkel, 1866: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 39: "Home sweet home: with variations," comp. Ch. Kinkel, 1869: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 40: "Meadow Spring: Schottisch," comp. C. Kinkel, 1865: Piano. Published by John Church Jr. (Cincinnati).
Item 41: "Runnymede Schottisch" (from Parlor Duets: A collection of favorite pieces arranged for two performers; no. 10), comp. C. Kinkel, 1866: Piano (four hands). Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 42: "Snowflake Polka" (from Crystal Gems: A collection of easy and brilliant Polkas, Waltzes, Marches, &c. composed and arranged by C. Kinkel; no. 2.), comp. C. Kinkel, 1867: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 43: "Strawberries and cream: march," comp. C. Kinkel, 1868: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 44: "Sweet kiss polka" (from Crystal Gems: A collection of easy and brilliant Polkas, Waltzes, Marches, &c. composed and arranged by C. Kinkel; no. 9.), comp. C. Kinkel, 1857: Piano. Published by Oliver Ditson & Co. (Boston).
Item 45: "Twilight Serenade: romance," comp. Charles Kinkel, 1869: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 46: "Whisperings of love: valse sentimentale," comp. Ch. Kinkel, 1868: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).
Item 47: "Wild flower: march" (from Wild Flowers: A series of beautiful melodies by Ch. Kinkel), comp. Ch. Kinkel, 1868: Piano. Published by J.L. Peters (New York).