Septimus Winner
Encyclopedia
Septimus Winner is best known as a songwriter
of the nineteenth century. He used his own name, and also the pseudonym
s Alice Hawthorne, Percy Guyer, Mark Mason, Apsley Street, and Paul Stenton. He was also a teacher
, performer, and music publisher.
, Pennsylvania
, the seventh child to Joseph E. Winner (an instrument maker specializing in violins) and wife Mary Ann. Mary Ann Winner was a relative of Nathaniel Hawthorne
, hence Septimus' use of the Hawthorne name as part of his pseudonym Alice Hawthorne.
Winner attended Philadelphia Central High School. Although largely self-taught in the area of music, he did take lessons from Leopold Meignen around 1853, but by that time he was already an established instrumental teacher, and performed locally with various ensembles.
From around 1845 to 1854, Septimus Winner partnered with his brother Joseph Eastburn Winner
(1837 - 1918) as music publishers. Septimus continued in the business with various partners and names up until 1902.
Winner was especially popular for his ballads published under the pseudonym
of Alice Hawthorne, which became known generically as "Hawthorne's Ballads". His brother was also a composer, publishing under the alias Eastburn. Septimus Winner was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1970.
In addition to composing popular songs, Winner also produced more than 200 instruction method books for more than twenty-three instruments. He wrote more than 1,500 easy arrangements for various instruments and almost 2,000 arrangements for violin and piano.
Another of his successes, and still familiar, is "Der Deitcher's Dog", or "Oh Where, oh Where Ish Mine Little Dog Gone", a text that Winner set to the German folk tune "Im Lauterbach hab'ich mein' Strumpf verlorn" in 1864, which recorded massive sales during Winner's lifetime.
The first verse of "Der Deitcher's Dog" is particularly noteworthy as its first verse has become a popular nursery rhyme
:
Modern versions occasionally change "cut" to "so".
The original song is written in German dialect, and subsequent verses praise lager
but lament the fact that "mit no money" it is not possible to drink, and praise sausage
s and thence to speculate on the fate of the missing dog:
Another of Winner's best-remembered songs, "Ten Little Indians", was originally published in 1864. This was adapted, possibly by Frank J. Green in 1868 as "Ten Little Nigger
s" and became a standard of the blackface
minstrel shows. It was sung by Christy's Minstrels
and became widely known in Europe, where it was used by Agatha Christie
in her novel And Then There Were None
, about ten killings on a remote island. In 2005, film historian Richard Finegan identified Winner as the composer of the Three Stooges
song "Swinging the Alphabet
". Winner had originally published it in 1875 as "The Spelling Bee".
In 1862, Winner was arrested for treason
because he wrote and published a song entitled "Give Us Back Our Old Commander: Little Mac, the People's Pride". It concerned General George B. McClellan
, whom President Abraham Lincoln
had just fired from the command of the Army of the Potomac
. McClellan was a popular man, and his supporters bought more than 80,000 copies of the song among them in its first two days of publication. Winner was in deep disgrace, and was only released from arrest after promising to destroy all of the remaining copies. The song reappeared in 1864 when McClellan was a presidential candidate. In 1880 the words were rewritten as a campaign ditty on behalf of Ulysses S. Grant
.
All other sources are from online digital archives or publications of the original sheet music
which are in the public domain
. Sources include:
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
of the nineteenth century. He used his own name, and also the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s Alice Hawthorne, Percy Guyer, Mark Mason, Apsley Street, and Paul Stenton. He was also a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, performer, and music publisher.
Biography
Winner was born in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the seventh child to Joseph E. Winner (an instrument maker specializing in violins) and wife Mary Ann. Mary Ann Winner was a relative of Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
, hence Septimus' use of the Hawthorne name as part of his pseudonym Alice Hawthorne.
Winner attended Philadelphia Central High School. Although largely self-taught in the area of music, he did take lessons from Leopold Meignen around 1853, but by that time he was already an established instrumental teacher, and performed locally with various ensembles.
From around 1845 to 1854, Septimus Winner partnered with his brother Joseph Eastburn Winner
Joseph Winner
Joseph Eastburn Winner was an American composer and music publisher. He is best known for his tune, "The Little Brown Jug" ....
(1837 - 1918) as music publishers. Septimus continued in the business with various partners and names up until 1902.
Winner was especially popular for his ballads published under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Alice Hawthorne, which became known generically as "Hawthorne's Ballads". His brother was also a composer, publishing under the alias Eastburn. Septimus Winner was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
in 1970.
In addition to composing popular songs, Winner also produced more than 200 instruction method books for more than twenty-three instruments. He wrote more than 1,500 easy arrangements for various instruments and almost 2,000 arrangements for violin and piano.
Songs
In 1855, Winner published the song "Listen to the Mockingbird" under the Alice Hawthorne name. He had arranged and added words to a tune by local singer/guitarist Richard Milburn, an employee, whom he credited. Later he sold the rights, reputedly for five dollars, and subsequent publications omitted Milburn's name from the credits. The song was indeed a winner, selling about 15 million copies in the United States alone.Another of his successes, and still familiar, is "Der Deitcher's Dog", or "Oh Where, oh Where Ish Mine Little Dog Gone", a text that Winner set to the German folk tune "Im Lauterbach hab'ich mein' Strumpf verlorn" in 1864, which recorded massive sales during Winner's lifetime.
The first verse of "Der Deitcher's Dog" is particularly noteworthy as its first verse has become a popular nursery rhyme
Nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
:
- Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?
- Oh where, oh where can he be?
- With his ears cut short, and his tail cut long,
- Oh where, oh where is he?
Modern versions occasionally change "cut" to "so".
The original song is written in German dialect, and subsequent verses praise lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
but lament the fact that "mit no money" it is not possible to drink, and praise sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
s and thence to speculate on the fate of the missing dog:
- Dey makes un mit dog und dey makes em mit horse,
- I guess dey makes em mit he
Another of Winner's best-remembered songs, "Ten Little Indians", was originally published in 1864. This was adapted, possibly by Frank J. Green in 1868 as "Ten Little Nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
s" and became a standard of the blackface
Blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
minstrel shows. It was sung by Christy's Minstrels
Christy's Minstrels
Christy's Minstrels, sometimes referred to as the Christy Minstrels, were a blackface group formed by Edwin Pearce Christy, a well-known ballad singer, in 1843, in Buffalo, New York. They were instrumental in the solidification of the minstrel show into a fixed three-act form...
and became widely known in Europe, where it was used by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
in her novel And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None is a detective fiction novel by Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 November 1939 under the title Ten Little Niggers which was changed by Dodd, Mead and Company in January 1940 because of the presence of a racial...
, about ten killings on a remote island. In 2005, film historian Richard Finegan identified Winner as the composer of the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
song "Swinging the Alphabet
Swinging the Alphabet
"Swinging the Alphabet" is a novelty song sung by The Three Stooges in their 1938 film, Violent Is the Word for Curly. It is the only full-length song performed by the Stooges in their short films, and the only time they mimed to their own pre-recorded soundtrack.In 2005, film historian Richard...
". Winner had originally published it in 1875 as "The Spelling Bee".
In 1862, Winner was arrested for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
because he wrote and published a song entitled "Give Us Back Our Old Commander: Little Mac, the People's Pride". It concerned General George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, whom President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
had just fired from the command of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. McClellan was a popular man, and his supporters bought more than 80,000 copies of the song among them in its first two days of publication. Winner was in deep disgrace, and was only released from arrest after promising to destroy all of the remaining copies. The song reappeared in 1864 when McClellan was a presidential candidate. In 1880 the words were rewritten as a campaign ditty on behalf of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
.
List
The most popular Septimus Winner songs include:- "How Sweet Are the Roses" (1850)
- "I Set My Heart Upon a Flower" (1854)
- "What Is Home Without a Mother" (1854)
- "Listen to the Mockingbird" (1855)
- "Abraham's Daughter" or "Raw Recruits" (1861)
- "Der Deitcher's Dog" (1864)
- "Ellie Rhee" or "Carry Me Back to Tennessee" (1865)
- "What Care I?" (1866)
- "Whispering Hope" (1868)
- "Ten Little InjunsTen Little Injuns"Ten Little Injuns" is a popular song written by Septimus Winner in 1870 for the minstrel trade. It was based on an 1870's minstrel skit about one John Brown whose Indian boy grows from "one little Injun" into "ten little Injuns," and then back to one, i.e.:...
" (1868) - "The Birdies' Ball" (1869)
- "Come Where the Woodbine Twineth" (1870)
- "Love Once Gone Is Lost Forever" (1870)
Sources
- Opie, Iona & Opie, PeterPeter and Iona OpieIona Archibald Opie and Peter Mason Opie were a husband-and-wife team of folklorists, who applied modern techniques to children's literature, summarized in their studies, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes and The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren...
(editors): The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes Oxford University Press, 1951 (rhyme 139, page 151)
All other sources are from online digital archives or publications of the original sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
which are in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. Sources include:
- Levy Collection
- Library of Congress'sLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
American Memories' website - Dover Publications'sDover PublicationsDover Publications is an American book publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward Cirker and his wife, Blanche. It publishes primarily reissues, books no longer published by their original publishers. These are often, but not always, books in the public domain. The original published editions may be...
Popular Songs of Nineteenth Century America - Material from Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
- Material from UNC-Chapel Hill Music Library