The Center for American Music Preservation (CAMP) was established to help preserve mainly historical American vocal music
from
the past so it will survive into the future. It began providing Online information back in 1998 on AOL and in 2006 moved to this website.
Since then it has grown to an extensive resource for topics in classical, folk and popular music
with numerous pages in the five main areas listed at the top right of this page.
Attention All Teachers and Researchers!
The information and recordings available from the CAMP can be of use to you in your teaching or for your research.
If you have a special area of interest in American music and wish to inquire if available from the CAMP -- click here
The CAMP needs your support
You can help support this website by ordering this limited edition CD
with over an hour of enjoyable American piano music with a few vocal selections,
including an arrangement of the folk song, "Shenandoah,"
and a rare recording of the poignant hymn sung at President Abraham Lincoln's funeral in 1865,
"Farewell Father, Friend and Guardian" --
News about the CAMP Director
Roger Lee Hall is an American Music Preservationist (AMP),
who has researched and written about American music for over 50 years.
For his extensive work in music preservation, he has been listed in directories
including Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World -- click here
See the list of his 25 music collections -- click here
He is also an ASCAP composer and a member of The American Composers Forum.
See his compositions published exclusively by PineTree Music -- click here
In addition, for the past 25 years, he has been Managing Editor of a popular e-zine - Film Music Review
See the list of music lectures and workshops presented by Mr. Hall -- go here
Online Webinar:
Otto Hermann Kahn (1867-1934) was one of America's wealthiest citizens in the early 20th century and was called "King of New york" for his support of so many artists. His beautiful Oheka Castle was the second largest private residence in America.
He spent considerable time and money in support of music. He was a major supporter of the Metropolitan Opera in New York in its early years
and brought major opera
people from Europe, especially the famous Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso, and conductor, Arturo Toscaninni.
Kahn also helped support many musicians and actors on Broadway, including composer, George Gershwin, and actor, Paul Robeson.
A virtual program was presented Hall with many pictures, plus audio and video examples for the New York Adventure Club and titled:
"Otto Kahn: A Personal Connection with the Gilded Age Music Patron"
Mr. Hall has extensively researched the life of Otto Kahn
and especially his music connections
including his son, Roger Wolfe Kahn, who had his own jazz orchestra in the 1920s.
These are some of the comments made by those who watched this webinar in the past few years:
"Roger Lee Hall’s personal experience with Oheka Castle and all the history he imparted -marvelous and so enlightening! Thank you for the opportunity to watch this webinar!" -Kathryn
"Lots of great pictures. Very interesting. Cute touch. And loved the music. It got my feet tapping." -Connie
"Hall is passionate and personal! Wonderful lecture! Thank you! -Mary
"Very good material and clear explanation. Most interesting" -Robert
"Having grown up less than a mile from Oheka, I still learned things from this event." -Ellen
"Roger Hall was extremely knowledgeable about Otto Kahn and the arts scene in the early 20th century. The pictures and music in his presentation made the webinar come alive." -Marsha
"Learning new things about History of famous New Yorkers and beautiful places!" -Alba
"I liked the photos of Kahn's homes, back story knowledge." -Elizabeth
"Very thorough and learned a lot more than I already knew about Otto Khan." -Jessica
"Very informative. Lots of visual aids. Host really knew the subject matter." -Nancy
"Great usage of media, video, pictures. Loved the personal connection of speaker to Oheka." -Jen
"I loved the presenter's personal connection to one of the properties." -Kerri
"I liked the details about Otto Kahn and his family plus the various homes Kahn owned." -Joanna
"The presenter was excellent and knew his facts. The webinar was quite broad in detail such as music facts, the life of Otto Kahn as well as his son and then
Oheka castle itself." -Susan
"I liked the addition of the music and the lecturer's experiences at the military academy." -Ann
Read about Kahn's beautiful Oheka Castle and Mr. Hall's residence there when it was a military academy -- go here
Roger Hall was the guest on the "Your History Your Story" podcast in 2023,
speaking with James Gardner.
Click on any of these links to listen to this special audio program: "Making American Music Come Alive Again"
Apple
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-history-your-story/id1535889414?i=1000611257078
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mS6z5JjFwUapMnp3jk5XJ?si=lYjF4XNiT7iHmZmD7qCF9w
YouTube
https://youtu.be/aPlzapgMVkM
Support YHYS Podcast & become a patron!
http://patreon.com/YourHistoryYourStoryPodcast
Gentle Peace: Songs For Survival (PineTree Press)
To read about his latest book
-- click here
Your support is needed to help support the Center for American Music Preservation.
Please consider ordering any of these limited edition CDs:
AMERICAN PLACES - Musical Travels
CELESTIAL PRAISES - A Celebration of Shaker Spirituals
"It's Magic" - One Hundredth Birthday Celebration of Sammy Cahn
Each CD is $25 (USA only).
For any countries outside of the USA,
click the "Quantity" button on PayPal TWO TIMES.
Shipping is included at no extra charge for your donation.
Any additional donations would be welcome and most appreciated.
Your order is payable to PineTree Productions through safe and secure PayPal.
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Anniversaries for two of the oldest American singing traditions
Latest publications
Earlier American Composers - Survey in Sound
American Music Guide Series (AMGS)
American Recorded Choral Archive (ARCA)
CAMP Honor Roll
Sample AMRC CD Releases
CAMP Research Topics
Resource Links
Recommended Websites
To write to the CAMP about your educational institution
obtaining
the extensive collection
of audio and research material on American vocal music
available on DVD-ROMs
-- click here
Anniversaries of two of the oldest singing traditions in America
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Shakers arrival in America from England on August 6, 1774.
2024 also marks the 50th anniversary of American composer, Aaron Copland, meeting several Shakers
for the first and only time in Shaker Heights, Ohio, introduced by Shaker music scholar, Roger Hall.
Read about these anniversaries at Music of the American Shakers: Resources and Recordings -- go here
The other singing tradition is in Stoughton, Massachusetts, where the First Singing School in America was held with all the pupils listed.
It was taught in 1774 by Boston composer, William Billings (1746-1800). The above photo from the early 1900s shows the Robert Capen's house where this singing school was reportedly held. The house was later moved and extesnively remodeled but it still stands today near Stoughton Center.
Billings was the best known New England composer in 18th century America. His Stoughton singing school had 49 pupils, consisting of young males and females, One of his singing school pupils later became a composer himself, Jacob French (1754-1817).
In that singing school, Billings also met his future wife, Lucy Swan, and they lived in Boston where they had many children.
For more about William Billings and the singing society in Stoughton, now the oldest one of its kind in America, see this publication:
Centennial anniversary of a former Cleveland disc jockey:
A program was presented by Roger Lee Hall in September 2023, co-sponsored by The
Shaker Historical Society and Shaker Heights Public Library,
celebrating the centennial of the birth
of popular Cleveland disc jockey,
Bill Randle (1923-2004):
He was teaching assistant for Bill Randle in the 1970s at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
At that time he told Roger about a movie short which featured the first
professional footage of Elvis Presley when he was performing in Cleveland in 1955.
Dr. Randle also produced a large 10 LP album set, "The Shaker Heritage,"
which had recorded information about Shaker history, religion, poetry, music and other topics.
This LP collection was never released commercially.
Many years later, Roger edited the
music portion of that LP set and wrote extensive notes for a 72 page illustrated booklet that accompanies the 2-CD which received rave reviews and was
titled:
To watch the 90 minute Zoom program, "Bill Randle in Cleveland: From Electric Elvis to The Shakers" with audio and video clips on YouTube -- click here
This Zoom program was based on his book now available in a new illustrated 2nd edition:
To read about this book -- click here