Joseph Barnby Knihy

These two popular songs from the late 19th century represent the Victorian sentimentalism that was evident in all phases of life during that time. Sweet and Low was composed by Joseph Barnby, a highly respected English composer of choral music. It is characterized by blue" harmo­nies that have come to be known today as barbershop harmony. Alice Hawthorne is listed as the composer of Listen to the Mocking Bird, however, that is a ficticious pen name. The real composer was Septimus Winner, a well educated black man from Philadelphia who wrote over 200 volumes of music, all under several ficticious names. This tune was composed in 1859, and Winner sold the copyright for five dollars. But in the next 50 years, it sold over 20 million copies. Several other well known songs he wrote are Whispering Hope, Ten Little lnjuns, and Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone. This arrangement has been dedicated by the composer to an outstanding trombonist and music educator Dale Laukhauf."