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Facts
Notable Acquisitions
Music
 
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Introduction |
Collection of Nineteenth-Century American Songsters and Song Sheets.
Gift of William and Louise Fielder and acquired in part through
the Susan and Ruth Sharp Fund.
Song sheets were very popular in the U.S. in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. The sheets typically contain the text only of a single song, set to a well-known tune. The peak of their popularity was during the Civil War, and the issues and events surrounding the war provided a wealth of subject matter. Thousands of songs existed, were produced in large quantities, and sold widely. Songsters are bound collections of song sheets. These ephemeral materials provide insight into the popular taste and culture of the time. |
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