Music in the White House

PRESIDENTS' DAY is observed this month on February 19th. The birthday of our first president, George Washington, is on February 22nd and Abraham Lincoln's birthday is February 12th. Francis Hopkinson was our first American composer and a friend of George Washington. He dedicated seven harpsichord pieces to his friend.

The White House has a beautiful piano with eagles ornately carved on the wooden legs. The Presidents have all enjoyed music while in the White House. The musical concerts varied with the tastes of each President.

When Abraham Lincoln was president, he invited the child prodigy Terresa Carreno to give a piano concert at the White House. She was just ten years old at the time.

Thomas Jefferson loved music and was a fine violinist. He ordered a piano for his future bride, Martha who played the harpsichord. They were married from 1772-1782. After her death Thomas Jefferson's interest in music extended to his children. His daughter was to practice three hours a day, from 8 till 10 in the morning and from 4 to 5 in the afternoon.

President Nixon played the piano. President Clinton played the saxophone.

Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote in a letter to the President of the National Federation of Music Clubs in 1941 which said:

The inspiration of great music can help to inspire a fervor for the spiritual values in our way of life; and thus to strengthen democracy against those forces which would subjugate and enthrall mankind.

Because music knows no barriers of languages because it recognizes no impediments to free intercommunication; because it speaks a universal tongue music can make us all more vividly aware of that common humanity which is ours and which shall one day unite the nations of the world in one great brotherhood.

As we honor our Presidents, let us also honor the favorite composer of our first president, George Washington, who was Francis Hopkinson. Mr. Hopkinson was born in 1737 in Philadelphia and died in 1791. Hopkinson designed the American flag and also was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The earliest extant American song is a piece he composed in 1759, "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free."

Here is an arrangement of this wonderful old tune. 

My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free
Francis Hopkinson (1732-1791), arranged by Gail Smith