Music of the War of 1812

Gr 7 Up—Narrator Dr. David Hildebrand, an expert in early American music, offers a unique history of the War of 1812 by utilizing contemporary music and lyrics. To describe or to comment on events such as Jefferson's Embargo in 1807 or the Battle of Baltimore or to salute heroes such as Stephen Decatur, 19th-century Americans penned fresh lyrics—known as parody—to familiar and popular tunes such as "Yankee Doodle." Francis Scott Key's words describing the British attack on Fort McHenry was an example of this common technique. The melody was the Anacreontic Song written in 1779 for an Edinburg social club. The resulting ballad became our national anthem. Side A features narration and music. Side B, music only, contains 20 American songs, marches, and dances including most of the musical selections from Side A. Contemporary era music is a matchless method for students to learn history, and this CD can be utilized by music and social science classes as well as in conjunction with the DVD, Anthem: The Story Behind the Star-Spangled Banner (also reviewed in this issue).—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel