Singing the New Nation: How Music Shaped the Confederacy, 1862-1865. (Book Reviews).

Singing the New Nation: How Music Shaped the Confederacy, 1862-1865. By E. Lawrence Abel. Foreword by Bobby Horton. (Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 2000. Pp. xviii, 398. $29.95, ISBN 0-8117-0228-6.)

The American Civil War was a time of high emotions. Lawrence Abel's book goes beyond the battles to one of the sources of moral and emotional sustenance for those involved in the Confederacy. Sharing the personal side of the war--soldiers during or between battles, those remaining at home, and the songs that had a great impact on the South's everyday life--Singing the New Nation details musical composition and publishing in the South and the bands associated with its Confederate battalions and regiments. Unlike other books that only present the text or poetry, Abel recreates the stories surrounding each song.

The primary sources used include library and special collections in the Southeast, and maps, newspapers, and "songsters" (songbooks; p. xvii) published between 1862 and 1865. Each chapter has a unifying theme, sometimes taken from an important song, its history, and use, or other topics like brass bands, musical entertainment, and music publishers. Highly documented, the book contains chapter endnotes and a bibliography with more than 600 entries. The only noticeable omission here is Russell Sanjek's American Popular Music and its Business (3 vols.; New York, 1988). Abel's discussion of southern music publishers is especially informative.

One fascinating, though somewhat confusing, story surrounds the origins of the song "Dixie," from the name itself to the creators of the song (as well as those who claimed authorship). Abel traces the song far beyond the Civil War into the twentieth century. Another chapter describes the reality of being part of bands attached to regiments or battalions, whose duties were often comprised not of playing music but instead dressing wounds, helping with surgery, or even performing it when necessary.

The book contains many song lyrics; however, from a musician's point of view, what is sorely lacking is the musical notation enabling the experience of a song in its entirety--that is, words and music. Realizing the problems with typesetting music, perhaps more selected public domain copies of early editions could have been reproduced (as was successfully done on p. 88). Some readers may not comprehend printed music, but those unfamiliar with the tunes and able to read music would welcome the opportunity. For any book to endure the author should consider the reader to be unlike him/herself and perhaps from another generation. But referring to one century using the terms of a later century is a practice best avoided; for example, calling Harry McCarthy, the South's best-known and most popular entertainer during the Civil War, "The Bob Hope of the Confederacy" (p. 59).

While transitions do not always appear smooth from chapter to chapter, the approach to organization is limited by the diverse topics, each of which could well provide the focus for an entire book. In a single volume, however, Abel has efficiently and competently brought together American history, the Confederacy, education in the South (especially of the female population), and the associated music. We should welcome his effort.

KAREN HITE JACOB
Carolina Pro Musica, Charlotte, N.C.