![]() Gilmore claimed to have learned the tune for "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" from an unidentified African-American singer and that it was a traditional African-American melody. He was a gifted musician, becoming Bandmaster for the United States Army during the Civil War and, in post-war years, the organizer of Monster Peace-Jublilees featuring orchestras of a thousand musicians and choruses of 10,000 voices. Born in Ireland, Gilmore came to America in the 1840s along with many others who fled the famine of those years. The first printed sheet music for the song credits the words and music to Louis Lambert, which was determined later to be a pen name for Patrick S. Soldiers and civilians on both sides of the conflict sang it, identifying with the feeling of joy they thought would come with the end of the fighting and the return of loved ones to their homes. This musical hope for peace originated during the Civil War and has demonstrated lasting appeal, growing in popularity over the years.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |