Title | America's Crusaders |
Composer | Manney, Charles Fonteyn |
Lyricist | Manney, Charles Fonteyn |
Publisher | Oliver Ditson Co. |
Place of Publication | Boston (Mass.) |
Year of Publication | 1918 |
Date of Copyright | 1918-08-16 |
Physical Description | 1 score, men's voices and piano ([1], 2–7, [1] p.) |
Comment | Manney evidently wrote this anthem for the 1918 Fourth of July program of the Boston Pops Orchestra. It had a modest success thereafter, but it endured: in 1949 it was selected for the theme music for the first major television documentary series, "Crusade in Europe," based on the memoirs of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. |
Historical Note | - This was the only printing, and no piano rolls or recordings have been found.
- The first performance was given on July 4, 1918, on a "Grand Patriotic Night" at Symphony Hall, Boston, by the Boston Pops orchestra, with Ralph Osborne as soloist and a male chorus directed by Stephen Townsend. Thereafter there were intermittent performances by amateur, church, or school groups at various locations. However, Ditson renewed the copyright in 1945, and the version for male voices served as theme music for "Crusade in Europe," a very early television documentary.
- This version, for male voices, was registered for copyright first; a second copyright, for mixed voices, was registered the next day.
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Musical Note | This high-class anthem, which rhythmically suggests a rather heroic march ballad, displays the usual characteristics: the second and third verses modulate to the subdominant, the second verse is for solo voice rather than ensemble, and there is generous use of passing chromaticism, modal borrowing, walking bass, and rubato. |
Dedication | Dedication |
Subject - Topic | - Songs and music
- Soldiers
- Patriotic music
- Popular music
- Songs and music
- World War, 1914-1918
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Subject - Geographic | United States |
Subject - Temporal | 1911-1920 |
Lyrics | - [verse 4] As we go to battle, / Motherland, for thee, / High hopes and pray'rs attend us / O'er the sund'ring sea: / God of righteous judgment, / Christ upon Thy tree, / Defend our boys in peril, / Guard and guide to victory.
- [verse 3] Heroes, that have held them / With the bloody lance, / Freedom's sons are marching / Thro' the fields of France. / Stand we now together, / Fearless, undismay'd, / Join'd in bold endeavor, / For one great Crusade.
- [verse 2] Peoples that have languish'd / In th'invader's chain, / Drinking deep of sorrow, / Sunk in silent pain: / May your eyes be lifted / To see that banner bright, / Read its flaming message— / Right shall conquer Might!
- [verse 1] As we go to battle, / Motherland, for thee, / High hopes and pray'rs attend us / O'er the sund'ring sea: / God of righteous judgment, / Christ upon Thy tree, / Defend our boys in peril, / Guard and guide to victory.
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Musical Genre | Anthem |
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 | TL and TR, adapted versions of the Great Seal of the United States, bracketing “Patriotic Music / Men’s Voices”; below, list of titles; BL and BR, oak branch and laurel branch superimposed on United States shield. Red and black on white; unsigned. |
Back Cover Description | “Patriotic Music” and list of titles, enclosed in simple frame, stars at the corners. |
Interior Description | - Plate numbers: pp. 2-7, BR: 72705-6
- p. 2, BL: No. 13,298
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Performance Medium | Men's voices and piano. |
Original Location | Box 163 |
Local Identifier | nda163_097 |
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 |