Abolition Show background

Subject: Abolition Show background
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 09:03 AM

Req.
I'm having a look at Foster's "'The Abolition Show or The Great Baby Show' and I wonder if any historians out there can give me any background on the very political and newsworthy (in 1856) references?

Thanks

Subject: RE: Abolition Show background
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 09:30 AM

THIS may help.

The document in Levy (CLICK HERE) is:

Title: [Foster-Hall Reproductions]. The Great Baby Show, or, The Abolition Show.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Stephen C. Foster [holograph of text and music sent to the composer's brother, Wm. B. Foster, Jr., March 11, 1857].
Publication: n.p., n.d.: , .
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: On the Seventeenth day of September you know
First Line of Chorus: Sing tu ral lal lu ral lal etc.
Subject: Satire
Subject: Political platforms
Subject: Parades & processions
Subject: Politicians
Call No.: Box: 071 Item: 049

~Masato

Subject: RE: Abolition Show background
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 05:29 PM

Well done, masato. Just what I needed. Thank you.

Subject: RE: Abolition Show background
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 09:47 PM

The tune is "Villikins and His Dinah." Foster wrote only the words.

Subject: RE: Abolition Show background
From: Abby Sale
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 03:22 PM

Thanks again. Actually RoboKopp gave that in his website as does the Leve page but I forgot. Feb 1st is National Freedom Day. I wonder if that would be a good day to sing this song....

Subject: RE: Abolition Show background
From: masato sakurai
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 09:29 PM

See also Evelyn Foster Morneweck's Chronicles of Stephen Foster's Family, vol. 2, pp. 477-479 (1944). The author is Stephen Foster's niece (Morrison Foster's daughter).