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66 The National Music of America.
at half after seven. In consequence of the advice of some friends, Mr. Graupner has reduced the price of the Tickets to half a Dollar each."
It must not be supposed that such an olla podrida of music was below the average of the epoch; on the contrary, the above concert was given by the best musician of America, up to that time.1 The most prominent musician before Graupner's time (we shall hear more of Graupner in a later chapter) was Josiah Flagg. Mr. Flagg compiled and published, in 1764, the largest musical collection that had ever been printed in New England; but he did more than this, in 1773 he established a band, became its leader, and gave many concerts in Faneuil Hall, and elsewhere, on one occasion directing fifty musicians.2
The American composer now enters upon
1 Beethoven's fifth symphony was performed in Boston less than seventy years ago, divided into three sections, with lighter music interspersed, for fear that the audience would grow weary 1
* Ritter's " Music in America," p. 44. |
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