Aiden Armstrong
Pronouns: He/Him
Research Mentor(s): Henry Stoll
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Music / Music
Program:
Authors: Aiden Armstrong, Henry Stoll
Session: Session 7 4:40 pm – 5:30 pm Hussey Room
Poster:
Abstract
Early American newspapers were full of music. Yet this music did not consist of notes and measures – what we might typically think of as “music notation” – but rather lyrics to be sung to popular melodies of the day. By setting their original poetry to preexisting tunes, early American songwriters harnessed the universality of song to communicate their political opinions, express discontent, campaign politically, and facilitate social reform. In an attempt to gain insight into the daily concerns of early Michiganders, this project aims at reconstructing and cataloging song parodies from Michigan, drawing on newspapers from urban and rural centers such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, Pontiac, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Traverse City, Decatur, and Paw Paw. With almost one hundred examples published from the years 1817 to 1865, song parodies were a remarkably popular medium for Michiganders to express their opinions regarding the social issues of their day – notably abolitionism, temperance, civil liberties – and react to the natural wonders of their new state. While these songs may not only be used as a resource to learn about Michigan’s music history, they also serve as a reminder that Michigan today is the result of grassroots activism, protest, and the development of regional identity.
