| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
15 8 The National Music of America.
for his name is found in the city directories from 1791 to 1799.1 He appears as "Roth, Philip, teacher of music, 25 Crown St." Washington at this time was a fellow citizen of this musician, for he lived at 190 High Street, Philadelphia.
But there is another claimant to the work. There was also in Philadelphia at this time a German musician, whose name is spelled in many different ways by the commentators. He is called " Phyla," " Philo," " Pfylo," and " Pfyles," by various authors. None of these seems like a German name, but it is possible that the actual name may have been " Pfeil."2 This gentleman of doubtful cognomen claims the authorship
1 " History of the Flag of the United States," by Rear-Admiral Geo. Henry Preble, p. 719.
2 Through the courtesy of John W. Jordan, Esq., librarian of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, we learn that the first Philadelphia " City Directory" was published in 1785, the second in 1791. In neither of these does the name of any musician bearing any resemblance to the ones given above appear. |
||