25th anniversary for the CAMP!

Making American music come alive again!

 

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

 

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

See the list of music lectures and workshops presented by Mr. Hall -- 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

 

 

 

 

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-ROM -- click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

250th Anniversary of two of the oldest singing traditions in America in 1774

This year marks the 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 on the Shaker music history page -- 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 held. The house was later moved and remodeled but it still stands 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 American, 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample publications and articles available:

 

Angel of Peace: Music in Old Boston

 

 

 

 

 

 

A collection highlighting singing in earlier America--

"Land of Our Hearts" - From Pilgrims to Patriots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A valuable series of American music

 

 

Composers shown above:
Supply Belcher, Stephen Foster. E.A. Jones, Amy Beach

Earlier American Composers:
Survey In Sound, 1759-1919

4 volumes with music examples
by 16 American composers,
including chamber music and choral music,
all together on one multimedia DVD-ROM.

Read about this extensive audio collection -- click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Music Guide Series:

 

 

No. 1 - A Guide to Film Music: Songs and Scores

 

No. 2 - "Celebrate, Rejoice and Sing!" - Christmas Music in America

 

No. 3 - A Guide to George Gershwin - Radio and Films

 

 

No. 4 - "In The Mood" - A Guide to Music on Early Radio

 

 

No. 5 - "Invitation to Zion" - A Guide to Shaker Music

 

 

No. 6 - "Dedication" - A Guide to Singing in Stoughton, 1762-1992

 

 

American Recorded Choral Archive (ARCA)

American Recorded Choral Archive

 

 

 

 

Honor Roll

We are grateful for any donations received to help support the Center for American Music Preservation.

These names have been added to the CAMP Honor Roll for their service to music:

 

Sister Ruth Mildred Barker

Gregory Erickson

Earl Eyrich

Randy Folger

John D. Herr

David P. McKay

Sister Bertha Lillian Phelps

George Walker

 

You can help support the CAMP by making a donation by credit card for $25 or more and
adding a name of your choice to this Honor Roll.

To inquire about making your donation -- write here

 

 

Your support is needed to help support American music preservation.

For your donation you will receive one of these CDs:

 

 

CELESTIAL PRAISES - A Celebration of Shaker Spirituals

 

 

"It's Magic" - One Hundredth Birthday Celebration of Sammy Cahn

 

 

For a donation of $20 (USA only) you can choose one of the CDs listed above.

To donate for any countries outside of the USA, click the button TWO TIMES.

Shipping is included at no extra charge for your donation.

Any additional donations would be welcome and most appreciated.

 

 

Click on this button...

After you have made your donation,
please indicate which CD(s) or name you wish to honor
and include your mailing address for proper shipping of CD(s).

Send your information to:

Donations

Thank you!

 

 

Here are ten of the many available AMRC CD releases:

AMRC 0001: MAJESTY: Best of William Billings

 

 

AMRC 0005: A Conversation with Aaron Copland

 

 

 

AMRC 0013: "Swanee" -
A Century of American Song, 1819-1919

 

 

AMRC 0018: Oscar Meets Sammy:
Film Music On Radio

 

 

 

 

AMRC 0021: John Williams Radio Tributes

 

 

World Premiere Recording!

AMRC 0029: Song of Our Saviour, Op. 16 (1881)
A Cantata by Edwin Arthur Jones
for Soloists, Chorus, Orchestra and Organ

 

 

 

AMRC 0033: Simple Gifts -
A Shaker Song Revisited

 

 

 

Premiere Recordings!

Five American Women Composers (AMRC CD 0040)

 

 

 

AMRC 0041: "CHESTER" -
Music in Old New England, 1778-1878
(radio documentary)

AMRC 0045: "The Star-Spangled Banner" -
Early Songs of Protest and Patriotism

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the complete list of AMRC CDs -- click here

 

 

 

Research Topics

 

18th century

 

Read about the first known American art song in 1759 by Francis Hopkinson--click here

 

 

 

 

 

Singing Stoughton - Music in Massachusetts

 

 

 

 

 

 

"A Toast" - Music of George Washington's Time

 

 

 

 

 

19th century

Read about "The Simplicity of Shaker Music" -
the oldest surviving communal sect in America,
with the largest number of original tunes and texts
click here

 

 

"Lincoln and Liberty" - Music From Abraham Lincoln's Time

 

It is not commonly known that in addition to his many popular songs,
Stephen Foster also composed a group of beautiful hymns during the Civil War years.
Some of these hymns are available in First Recordings on a multimedia disc titled,

 

"Glory, Hallelujah" - Songs and Hymns of the Civil War Era

 

 

20th century

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music by George W. Chadwick - click here

One of his choral works from 1918 is the title of this DVD-ROM with audio and video features:

"Land of Our Hearts" - From Pilgrims to Patriots

 

Leonard Bernstein: The Total Musician

 

 

The Bill Randle Chronicles - click here

 

 

Film In Focus (1930s-1960s) - click here

 

 

Tribute to a popular Oscar-winning lyricist, Sammy Cahn