Concert Life in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans: A Comprehensive Reference

by John H. Baron

Overview

During the nineteenth century, New Orleans thrived as the epicenter of classical music in America, outshining New York, Boston, and San Francisco before the Civil War and rivaling them thereafter. While other cities offered few if any operatic productions, New Orleans gained renown for its glorious opera seasons. Resident composers, performers, publishers, teachers, instrument makers, and dealers fed the public's voracious cultural appetite. Tourists came from across the United States to experience the city's thriving musical scene. Until now, no study has offered a thorough history of this exciting and momentous era in American musical performance history. John H. Baron's Concert Life in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans impressively fills that gap.
Baron's exhaustively researched work details all aspects of New Orleans's nineteenth-century musical renditions, including the development of orchestras; the surrounding social, political, and economic conditions; and the individuals who collectively made the city a premier destination for world-class musicians. Baron includes a wide-ranging chronological discussion of nearly every documented concert that took place in the Crescent City in the 1800s, establishing Concert Life in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans as an indispensable reference volume.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807150849
Publisher:	Louisiana State University Press
Publication date:	12/09/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	752
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

John H. Baron is the Louise Rebecca Schawe and Williedell Schawe Memorial Professor of Music at Tulane University.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction: New Orleans 1

Book I A Topical History

Part I Musical Institutions and Genres

1 Concert Venues in New Orleans: 1805-1897 9

1805-1819 9

1819-1897 12

Churches, Parks, and Other Venues 25

2 Symphonic Music in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans 31

Orchestral Music Prior to the Civil War 32

The Civil War Period 39

Recovery during the Post-Civil War Years 44

The Final Years of the Century: 1880-1897 54

3 The Concert Societies and Series 68

The Philharmonic Societies 68

Collignon's Classical Series 76

L'Orphéon Français 87

Frohsinn 93

Other Societies 95

4 Music and Race in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans 97

5 Music Education 105

Music Education to 1861 105

Music Education during and after the Civil War 109

6 Women in the Musical Life of the City in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries 121

Part II Personalities

1 Louis Hus Desforges: Pioneer Conductor and Violinist 141

2 Gregorio Curto: Bass Singer, Church Musician, and Vocal Teacher 146

3 Paul Emile Johns: Tycoon, Musician, and Friend of Chopin 164

4 Ludovico Gabici: Violinist and Conductor 169

5 Eugène Prévost: Eminent Conductor and Composer 179

6 Theodore von La Hache: Prolific Composer, Organist, Teacher, and Choral Conductor 184

Works of Theodore von La Hache 192

7 Hubert Rolling: Pianist and Composer 197

Works of Hubert Rolling 203

8 Jeanne Franko: Famous Violinist in a Musical Family 205

9 Marguerite Elie Samuel: Champion of Good Taste 210

10 Mark Kaiser: Violinist, Teacher, and Proud Citizen 223

11 Gustave D'Aquin: Flutist and Band Conductor 233

12 Theodore Curant: Verdi's Violinist in New Orleans 244

13 Henry Wehrman Jr.: Violinist and Collector of Creole Songs 249

14 William Henry Pilcher's Conservatory of Music 258

Book II A Chronological History

1 The Early Years: 1805-1835 269

2 The Musical Metropolis: 1836-1849 303

3 The Great Years: 1850-1860 349

4 Concert Music during the Civil War: 1861-1865 391

5 Recovery of the Postwar Years: 1865-1872 401

6 From the City to the Lake and the Great Exposition: 1872-1886 427

7 The Grand Old City: 1887-1897 481

Notes 547

Bibliography 657

Index 665