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America, Our Country

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https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/9621a540-e466-0135-4ad8-0050569601ca-3
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Descriptive Information

Title
America, Our Country  
Alternative Title
America, Our Country / Battle Hymn  
Composer
Oesterle, Louis  
Lyricist
Oesterle, Louis  
Publisher
Edw. Schuberth & Co.  
Place of Publication
New York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication
1919  
Date of Copyright
1919-06-19
Physical Description
1 score, voice and piano ([1-2], 3-6, [7-8] p.)
Comment
This title appears to have been marketed as a successor to Osterle's earlier "America, Our Pride." But it went almost unnoticed and it was issued only in a single edition. Released well after the conclusion of the war, it was probably viewed as largely outdated.
Historical Note
  • This was the only printing, although the cover listing ("Medium Voice or Unison Chorus") implies that other versions may have been planned.   
  • No piano rolls or recordings have been found. Only a handful of scattered amateur performances have been located, all in the summer of 1919.  
Musical Note
This quadruple-time march ballad ("Tempo di Marcia") displays many "high-class" characteristics: extensive expressive markings, pervasive chromaticism, modulation to the submediant, rubato, and a fermata at the climax. It also has a ballad-like, unusual form, with an extended verse of forty-two bars followed by a refrain of thirteen bars; and the accompaniment verges on the virtuosic. Although many characteristic martial gestures are used (fanfare figures, drumbeat rhythms, ascending fifths), there are no direct quotations.
Dedication
Dedication
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918  
  • Songs and music  
  • Popular music  
  • Patriotic music  
Subject - Geographic
United States  
Subject - Temporal
1911-1920  
Lyrics
  • [verse] Our Country first in Peace or trouble, / Now and ever as of yore; / No pow'r on Earth shall ever humble / This, the Land that we adore. / We'll give our lifeblood one and all, / For this our dear America / We'll ever heed our country's call, / To arms! prepare for War! / To arms! prepare for War! / We'll march to the Front like soldier's true and tried / And do our duty there; / We'll fight for our right with all our might, / 'Till our Flag's victorious ev'rywhere. / It is a glorious privilege to die / For the Land we dearly love, / With steadfast heart and true and courage high / Our Country's need, all else is far above. / So forward march and win the day, / Tho' fierce the fight and long; / And plunge right gladly in the fray / With this our Battle song:
  • [refrain] Our County first! Our watchword this shall be; / In any Cause so just We fear no enemy. / We'll fight with all our might, A Nation proud and free, / For our undoubted right, A Land of Liberty. / Our Country first! And let ev'ry echo wake / To this our cry, "For her dear sake
Musical Genre
March ballad
Repository
Newberry Library
Rights
NoC-US
Rights Description
The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.
Cover Description
Text only, in a simple frame, with two other Oesterle songs listed with equal weight: Come Boys and Fight for Your Country (© 1919 06 18) and America, Our Pride (© 1917 03 22).  
Back Cover Description
Sample: Dear Land of Home (© 1911 01 31), and three advertisements, text only: Columbia (Victor Herbert, © 1898 04 21); Song of Freedom (© 1895 02 01); and Lord, While for All Mankind We Pray (© 1897).  
Interior Description
Plate numbers: pp. 3, 4, 5, 6, BL: E. S. & Co. 4350 – 4  
Performance Medium
Voice and piano.  
Original Location
Box 163
Local Identifier
nda163_099  
Collection Title
James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
Collection
World War I Sheet Music from the James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
TitleAmerica, Our Country  
Alternative TitleAmerica, Our Country / Battle Hymn  
ComposerOesterle, Louis  
LyricistOesterle, Louis  
PublisherEdw. Schuberth & Co.  
Place of PublicationNew York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication1919  
Date of Copyright1919-06-19
Physical Description1 score, voice and piano ([1-2], 3-6, [7-8] p.)
CommentThis title appears to have been marketed as a successor to Osterle's earlier "America, Our Pride." But it went almost unnoticed and it was issued only in a single edition. Released well after the conclusion of the war, it was probably viewed as largely outdated.
Historical Note
  • This was the only printing, although the cover listing ("Medium Voice or Unison Chorus") implies that other versions may have been planned.   
  • No piano rolls or recordings have been found. Only a handful of scattered amateur performances have been located, all in the summer of 1919.  
Musical NoteThis quadruple-time march ballad ("Tempo di Marcia") displays many "high-class" characteristics: extensive expressive markings, pervasive chromaticism, modulation to the submediant, rubato, and a fermata at the climax. It also has a ballad-like, unusual form, with an extended verse of forty-two bars followed by a refrain of thirteen bars; and the accompaniment verges on the virtuosic. Although many characteristic martial gestures are used (fanfare figures, drumbeat rhythms, ascending fifths), there are no direct quotations.
DedicationDedication
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918  
  • Songs and music  
  • Popular music  
  • Patriotic music  
Subject - GeographicUnited States  
Subject - Temporal1911-1920  
Lyrics
  • [verse] Our Country first in Peace or trouble, / Now and ever as of yore; / No pow'r on Earth shall ever humble / This, the Land that we adore. / We'll give our lifeblood one and all, / For this our dear America / We'll ever heed our country's call, / To arms! prepare for War! / To arms! prepare for War! / We'll march to the Front like soldier's true and tried / And do our duty there; / We'll fight for our right with all our might, / 'Till our Flag's victorious ev'rywhere. / It is a glorious privilege to die / For the Land we dearly love, / With steadfast heart and true and courage high / Our Country's need, all else is far above. / So forward march and win the day, / Tho' fierce the fight and long; / And plunge right gladly in the fray / With this our Battle song:
  • [refrain] Our County first! Our watchword this shall be; / In any Cause so just We fear no enemy. / We'll fight with all our might, A Nation proud and free, / For our undoubted right, A Land of Liberty. / Our Country first! And let ev'ry echo wake / To this our cry, "For her dear sake
Musical GenreMarch ballad
RepositoryNewberry Library
RightsNoC-US
Rights DescriptionThe organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.
Cover DescriptionText only, in a simple frame, with two other Oesterle songs listed with equal weight: Come Boys and Fight for Your Country (© 1919 06 18) and America, Our Pride (© 1917 03 22).  
Back Cover DescriptionSample: Dear Land of Home (© 1911 01 31), and three advertisements, text only: Columbia (Victor Herbert, © 1898 04 21); Song of Freedom (© 1895 02 01); and Lord, While for All Mankind We Pray (© 1897).  
Interior DescriptionPlate numbers: pp. 3, 4, 5, 6, BL: E. S. & Co. 4350 – 4  
Performance MediumVoice and piano.  
Original LocationBox 163
Local Identifiernda163_099  
Collection TitleJames Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
CollectionWorld War I Sheet Music from the James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music

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