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(MUSIC—MINSTRELSY.)
Ordway Hall. Ordway’s Aeolians,
New Ethiopian Melodies, Burlesques.
Theatre broadside, 21
1
/
2
x 7
1
/
2
inches;
framed.
Boston, 13 October 1857
[600/900]
THE GROUP THAT PREMIERED THE SEA
-
SONAL HIT JINGLE BELLS
.
John Ordway
(1824-1880) formed the Aeolians in 1845.
The group was a tremendous asset to Ordway’s
music store and publishing house. Ordway’s
group was basically a blackface minstrel troupe
but also sang and performed new music as it
appeared. A number of 19th century songs
were written for the Aeolians and/or dedicated
to Ordway, including “Jingle Bells.” Future
bandleader/composer Patrick Gilmore worked
in Ordway’s store and also appeared with the
Aeolians. James Lord Pierpont’s first major
composition “The Returned Californian” in
1852 was written expressly for Ordway and
his troupe.
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