The American Civil War shaped every aspect of life in the South, including music. Along with songs and military band music published in the South during the war, a considerable repertoire of solo keyboard music also exists, written by white, black, male, and female composers. Dr. David B. Thompson, a professor of music at Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., has created and gives performances of a program called “Confederates at the Keyboard: Piano Music during the Civil War Era.”
Thompson discusses the Southern composers whose music was prominent during the Civil War, and the role of the keyboard in Confederate society with Dr. Edgar. He’ll also sit down at the piano to play some of this music.
Audio
In this first segment on Civil War piano music, Dr. David B. Thompson briefly discusses the life of African American composer Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, and plays one of his works.
Audio
Dr. Thompson outlines the importance of Confederate music publishers, and how they played a crucial role in distributing music throughout the South. He then discusses the different styles of music...
Audio
Dr. Thompson details South Carolinian composers and publishers during the Civil War. One such composer was from Columbia: Lizzie C. Orchard, and Dr. Thompson plays an excerpt from “Major General Wade...
Audio
When homes were requisitioned for use as field hospitals during the Civil War, parlors and pianos were converted to serve purposes outside their intended uses.
Audio
In this segment, Dr. Thompson analyzes how songs composed during the war reflected Southern virtuosity: writing and naming songs for Confederate heroes.
Audio
Dr. Thompson goes into how many composers during the Civil War would write variations on classic songs during the period. He plays several examples of arrangements of “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” and...
Audio
Dr. Thompson explains how families loved their pianos, and often-times, pianos would be center-pieces in peoples' lives.
Audio
The American Civil War shaped every aspect of life in the South, including music. Along with songs and military band music published in the South during the war, a considerable repertoire of solo...