Music and the Revolution
During the Revolution, American patriots, loyalists, and British occupants alike heard, performed, and enjoyed a wide variety of music. While the period is often remembered mainly for its political and military events, music animated many pursuits of daily life, even during the disruption of war. At a militia muster, young fifers and drummers stirred the morning air, while trained wind bands accompanied the Continental Army on the move with a brisk march. By night, army bands played elegant minuets and country dances for the entertainment of officers, while talented slaves and freemen alike accompanied frequent civilian balls that provided important social intercourse. Newly popular choirs and singing school youths sang sacred psalm settings and anthems in church, while sailors and soldiers sang war songs and bawdy ballad tunes at the tavern table. At home, an educated elite performed art songs for private parlor audiences, while public instrumental and vocal concert programs reflected the latest from London in the world of George III. Despite lingering local laws against the sin and expense of theatrical productions, the public still found means to enjoy a lengthy evening of favorite British ballad operas and light comic operas, sometimes as "lecture" readings in place of banned performances.
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