Music and Some Highly Musical People

In Short

This comprehensive study provides both a theoretical foundation of musical history and a ground-breaking biographical directory of nineteenth-century African American musicians. The text traces music's origins from ancient classical civilisations to contemporary European opera, before documenting the careers of Black singers, violinists, bandleaders, and vocal troupes across America and Europe. It preserves their achievements against the era's severe racial prejudices, celebrating their technical mastery, resilience, and cultural contributions. The work has endured as the first major historical and biographical survey of African American music written in the United States, offering an indispensable historical record of art triumphing over oppression.

The Story

The work opens with a historical and theoretical framework designed to establish the universal dignity of musical expression. It explores the nature of sound, the musicality found in the natural environment, and the development of the art across human history. Examining ancient Rome, the narrative details how musical education functioned within early societies, noting the formidable curriculum prescribed by Quintilian and the establishment of powerful protective guilds for flute players, such as the Guild of Dionysian Artists. Moving into the nineteenth-century landscape, the text surveys the contemporary international scene, celebrating the operatic achievements of Richard Wagner—whose dramatic works at Bayreuth are recognized as unifying poetry and music into a singular artistic expression—while also acknowledging the rising standards of American orchestras and classical chamber groups like the Beethoven Quintette Club of Boston.

Having established this global context, the text shifts its focus directly to documenting the lives and careers of remarkable colored musicians who achieved high artistic status despite facing widespread caste prejudice. It details the rise of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, known as the "Black Swan," who taught herself guitar accompaniments as a young woman before securing elite vocal training and eventually performing by royal command for Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace in 1854. The narrative continues through the triumphs of instrumentalists like Mr. Williams, a versatile multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer who overcame deep-seated racial opposition from fellow performers to play in grand festival orchestras and compose brass music for major military bands.

The survey expands to portray a wide array of vocalists, soloists, and ensemble groups. It recounts the career of tenor Thomas J. Bowers, dubbed the "American Mario," who initially restricted his singing to church and home out of respect for his religious parents before stepping onto the public concert stage. It profiles the extraordinary memory and analytical ear of the blind pianist known as "Blind Tom," whose abilities to instantly reproduce complex, discordant compositions baffled international critics in Manchester and Glasgow. The narrative follows the travels of the Hyers Sisters, Anna and Emma, whose vocal purity in operatic duets won over critical audiences from California to New England, as well as soprano Nellie E. Brown, who earned wide acclaim across Northern churches and concert halls.

After profiling virtuoso violinists such as Joseph White, who trained in Paris and electrified audiences without resorting to showmanship, the volume examines large-scale collective endeavors. It chronicles the historic tours of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who brought the deeply emotional, authentic music of the southern slave cabins to tearful audiences across the North and throughout Europe, supplanting the crude caricatures of minstrelsy with genuine spiritual art. The work concludes by celebrating Boston as an inclusive hub of musical education, cataloging dozens of regional artists, and providing printed sheet music—ranging from sacred Latin masses to intricate piano mazurkas—composed by Black musicians, leaving behind a permanent record of creative achievement.

How It Unfolds

The ancient foundations The text examines the history of music in early civilisations, detailing the rigorous theoretical and practical training required in ancient Rome. It describes how national instruments like the brass-hooped flute led to powerful protective guilds of musicians who held significant social influence under Roman emperors.

The contemporary standard Shifting to the nineteenth century, the author evaluates modern European and American musical achievements. He highlights the monumental operatic works of Richard Wagner, the critical reception of grand music festivals, and the growing prominence of classical orchestras and quintets within American cultural centers.

Pioneers of the vocal stage The narrative begins its biographical survey by detailing the early struggles and international triumphs of vocalists like Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. It traces her journey from self-taught beginnings to acclaimed performances before European royalty and her subsequent return to teach and perform in America.

Instrumental mastery over prejudice The focus turns to instrumentalists who broke barriers in major performance spaces. Profiles showcase veteran musicians who faced initial discrimination from white peers in large orchestras, only to earn immense respect through their unmatched versatility, sight-reading skills, and compositional talents.

Prodigies and concert stars The book surveys renowned touring artists, including the miraculous auditory feats of "Blind Tom" on European stages, the operatic success of the Hyers Sisters across New England, and the refined classical execution of concert sopranos and virtuoso violinists.

The triumph of sacred song The historical arc culminates in the global impact of ensemble groups like the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Their authentic renditions of traditional spirituals move international audiences to tears, replacing blackface caricatures with profound artistic dignity and raising funds for educational institutions.

A legacy preserved in print The volume closes with a sweeping directory of active regional musicians, an appraisal of Boston's accessible music conservatories, and an appendix containing full musical scores written by Black composers, ensuring their intellectual output is permanently recorded.

The People

• James M. Trotter: The author and narrator, a former Union Army officer and public servant who acts as a determined historian. He seeks to document the artistic achievements of Black musicians, battling societal caste prejudice by constructing a permanent written record of their genius.
• Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield ("The Black Swan"): A gifted soprano who begins her studies by improvising accompaniments on the guitar. Despite formidable social obstacles, her extraordinary vocal range earns her international acclaim, culminating in a command performance for Queen Victoria before she returns home to teach.
• Mr. Williams: A veteran multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer proficient on the violin, cornet, and double-bass. He faces racial prejudice from orchestra members during grand jubilees, ultimately disarming his critics through superior technical skill and decades of professional experience.
• Thomas J. Bowers: A powerful tenor vocalist known as the "American Mario." Raised by strict church-going parents, he balances family reverence with public performance, eventually using his mellow, sweet voice to captivate audiences alongside leading concert singers.
• "Blind Tom": A pianist born blind who possesses astonishing auditory retention. He fascinates international critics and music scholars by listening to highly complex, discordant compositions just once and instantly reproducing them verbatim on the piano.
• Anna and Emma Hyers: Sister vocalists who tour the country performing complex operatic duets and classical solos. They continuously refine their technique under the guidance of New England critics, building a broad national following.
• Joseph White: An exceptional violin virtuoso who studied in Paris. Devoted entirely to the noble purity of his art rather than financial showmanship, he wins the admiration of critics on multiple continents before returning to France to continue his career.

In Its Own Voice

"This flute (tibia) was hooped with brass bands, and had an immense resonance." Context: The author describes the primary wind instrument of ancient Rome, illustrating how early musicians organized into protective guilds around their craft.

"'The Swan' sings now in true artistic style, and the wonderful powers of her voice have been developed by good training." Context: A quote from The New-York Herald acknowledging the dramatic technical growth of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield following her vocal studies and concerts in London.

"The wild melodies of these emancipated slaves touched the fount of tears, and gray-haired men wept like children." Context: An eyewitness account of a concert by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in Brooklyn, capturing the overwhelming emotional impact of their authentic spirituals on Northern audiences.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book is a defense of Black humanity and intellect through the medium of high art. Writing in the post-Reconstruction era, Trotter uses musical scholarship to confront the systemic racism that attempted to limit Black achievement. He argues that musical capability is not the exclusive domain of any single race or culture, but a universal human capacity implanted by the divine. By placing ancient Roman history, Wagnerian opera, and Black classical composers within the same volume, the text asserts that Black musicians belong at the very center of global artistic tradition. It exposes how slavery and the "vile spirit of caste" starved gifted individuals of educational opportunities, while celebrating the invincible perseverance of those who mastered classical theory, composed complex scores, and triumphed on the world stage despite those constraints.

Why Read It Today

This volume remains a vital document for anyone interested in American musical history, African American history, and nineteenth-century culture. Readers will appreciate the author's dignified, measured voice and his deep passion for musical theory and performance. The text offers an unvarnished, contemporary window into an era when Black artists had to overcome extraordinary social barriers simply to step onto a concert stage or join an orchestra.

Modern readers should be prepared for nineteenth-century prose style, which includes lengthy sentences, detailed accounts of classical history, and extensive period press reviews embedded directly within the narrative. The book does not shy away from the harsh realities of its era, speaking frankly about the bitter days of slavery, racial exclusion, and the mocking caricatures of blackface minstrelsy that genuine Black artists had to displace. What stays with the reader is the author's unwavering conviction that artistic excellence is an undeniable proof of human equality. Trotter's painstaking documentation ensures that forgotten virtuosos, grand operatic singers, and brilliant composers receive the lasting recognition their genius earned.