THE PERFORMING ARTS IN COLONIAL AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS, 1690-1783

Sample Topics

The 235,676 index entries reveal a rich environment for the performing arts in colonial America as it was reflected by the commercial press. The list below gives the number of entries for many of the main topics in the Index. It gives an idea of the scope and depth of the information contained in the database. For this list various spellings have been consolidated into one listing.

To view samples of collected data, click on the underlined words.

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• 4th of July, 81
• Actor, 10,826
• Anthem, 514
• Bach, 152
• Bagpipe, 168
• Ball, 2,237
• Ballad, 347
• Band, 817
• Banjo, 45 (9 spellings)
• Bayley, Daniel, 138
• "Beggar's Opera", 426
• Benefit, 1,148
• Billings, William, 89
• Books, 2,562
• "Bretagne, La", 59
• "Britons Strike Home", 86
• Brownell, Mr., 75
• Christmas, 12
• Composer, 371
• Composition, 283
• Concert, 1,912
• Conductor, 54
• Dance (types), 1,290
• Dancing masters, 1,632
• Dancing schools, 1,462
• Deblois family, 428
• "Delightful Pocket Companion", 27
• "Denmark", 9
• "Derry down", 54
• "Deserter, The", 4
• Deserter [soldier], 351
• Dienval, Alexander, 100
• "Distress'd Mother", 129
• Douglass family, 896
• Drum, 3,024 (15 makers)
• Dulcimer, 22
• "Eagle Tail Dance", 4
• "Fair Penitent, The", 114
• Farce, 1,227
• Fiddle and fiddlers, 2,352
• Fife and fifers, 1,961 (9 makers)
• Flagg, Josiah, 91
• Flute and German flute, 2,323 (15 makers)
• Ford, Miss, 8
• Franceschini, Gaetano, 36
• Francis, Mr., 82
• Franklin, Benjamin, 189
• Freemasons, 10
• Geminiani, 49
• Giardini, 150
• "Green Corn Dance", 2
• "Grenadier's March", 13
• Guitar, 1,174
• Hallam family, 1,418
• "Hallische Gesangbuecher", 46
• "Hamlet", 116
• Harmonic Society, 17
• Harp, 269
• Harlequin, 174
• Haydn, 50
• Hiwill (Hivell) John, 8
• Hulett, W C, 271
• "Ikem Dance", 2
• Indian, 296
• Instrument makers, 83
• Joan (Juhan), James, 218
• Kintekaying, 1
• Law, Andrew, 189
• "Lethe", 151
• Louvre, 56
• "Love in a Village", 184
• Lute, 34
• Lyon, James, 120
• Magician, 85
• Mulatto, 286
• Music, essay, 90
• Music as metaphor, 49
• Negro, 1,394
• Oboe [under Hautboy], 918
• Occum, Sampson, 66
• Orchesography, 3
• Orchestra, 37
• Organ, 1,032
• Organ builders, 17
• Piano forte (forte piano), 266
• Pipe, piper, pipes, 104
• Play, 12,728
• Rigadoon, 45
• Rivington, James, 1,247
• "Robin Hood", 22
• Runaway, 2,084
• Scenery, 33
• Shakespeare, 1,243
• Song books, 561
• Song, 2,708
• "Songster's Companion", 31
• Spinet, 703
• St. Cecilia Society, 225
• Storer family, 372
• Tabor and pipe, 77
• Tans'ur (8 spellings), 331
• Teacher, 2,258
• Wall, Thomas, family, 866
• Theatre performances, 3,801
• Tuckey, William, 64
• Tune, 1,805
• Valton, Peter, 83
• Violin, 3,996
• "War Dance", 63
• "War Song", 43
• Washington, George, 6
• Wheatley, Phillis, 18
• Whitefield, George, 143
• Woman, women, 88
• Woodcut, 230

Lyrics

12,059 lyrics were collected. They are divided into the following categories:

• Lyric, advertisement, 286
• Lyric, dialect, 14
• Lyric, Dutch, 1
• Lyric, elegy, 714
• Lyric, French, 21
• Lyric, German, 149
• Lyric, holiday, 4th of July, 4
• Lyric, holiday, Christmas, 62
• Lyric, holiday, Easter, 7
• Lyric, holiday, New Year, 117
• Lyric, holiday, Thanksgiving, 8
• Lyric, holiday, Valentine's Day, 4
• Lyric, Latin, 4
• Lyric, Masonic, 21
• Lyric, moral, 3,147
• Lyric, narrative, 467
• Lyric, Negro, 27
• Lyric, sentimental, 2,252
• Lyric, theatrical, 174
• Lyric, topical, 8,200
• Lyric, woman's, 234

© 1997 University Music Editions
© 1997 Knowledge Access International