Lincoln Sheet Music

This database comprises sheet music from the McLellan Lincoln Collection at the Hay Library written between 1859 and 1923. Music about Lincoln ranges from popular song to compositions for orchestral performance. Popular music about Abraham Lincoln proliferated between 1859 and 1865, and Lincoln songs are an important source for understanding attitudes of the day towards the Illinois candidate, later the 16th President, and his policy agenda. Lincoln appeared in a wide variety of music, including campaign pieces, patriotic war and memorial numbers, emancipation songs, and minstrel music. Music written about Lincoln since 1865 has tended to emphasize the epic character of Lincoln’s presidency during the national crisis of a civil war, American folk mythology surrounding Lincoln, and the use of Lincoln’s image in contemporary popular culture. Some pieces set Lincoln’s own writings to music, while others memorialize the events of his life or offer a reinterpretation for recent times.
This collection is part of Brown University Library, hosted by Brown University.

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Items in this collection

Cuffee's war song

Cuffee's war song

Brown University

Cover title with illustration of African American man holding banner with the words: O General Grant's de man to day, de country has in view, He's whipped the rebels every time, and taken Vicksburg too. For voice (SATB)

Campaign quick step

Campaign quick step

Brown University

For piano Arranged in an easy manner by M.H. Cross "To Miss Julia Billings"--Cover

Better times are coming

Better times are coming

Brown University

For voice and piano, with chorus refrain Verses 2-9 printed as text on p. 5 Red and blue ornamental border on t.p.

Away goes Cuffee, or, Hooray for '63

words & music by L.B. Starkweather. For voice, piano, and chorus (SATB) Cover title. Cover illustration: engraving of head of Afro-American man incorporated in the letter "A" / Greene.

Allegiance: patriotic song

For voice and piano. At head of title: Boston Sunday Advertiser: War Songs, Boston, Sunday, September, 15, 1918 At head of cover title: "Dedicated to that spirit of Americanism as typified by the immortal Lincoln"

Allegiance: patriotic song

For voice and piano. At head of cover title: "Dedicated to that spirit of Americanism as typified by the immortal Lincoln"

Abraham's daughter

Abraham's daughter

Brown University

T.p. illustration: lithograph of Ben Cotton by Nahl Bro's., L. Nagel, print., from a photo. by Bryan & Johnston T.p. illustration: lithograph of Ben Cotton by Nahl Bro's., L. Nagel, print., from a photo. by Bryan & Johnston As sung by Ben Cotton; arranged by F.H.H. Oldfield For voice with piano Additional verses printed as text on p. 3

Abraham my Abraham: song & chorus

For voice and piano with 2-part men's chorus. Verses 3-5 printed as text on p. 5 Words by Wm. K. O'Donoughue, Esq.; arranged for the pianoforte by Chas. G. Degenhard

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Brown University

"Lincoln Schottisch [by] Wm. Cumming" on p. 3. Portrait of Lincoln.

A song of Lincoln

A song of Lincoln

Brown University

Published in Normal instructor and primary plans, February 1929

600,000 more: we are coming Father Abram!

For medium voice with SATB chorus Cover title Poem originally published in 1862 as We are coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand strong, by James Sloan Gibbons

300,000 more!

300,000 more!

Brown University

words by William Cullen Bryant ; music by George R. Poulton. For voice and piano, with chorus (TASB) At head of title: To President Abraham. From poem originally published in the New York Evening Post, July 16, 1862: We are coming, Father Abraham / James Sloan Gibbons. Cf. BAL, v. 1, p. 346. The words sometimes erroneously attributed to Wm. Cullen Bryant, or J. [sic] Cullen Bryant. Verses 2-4 printed as text on p. 5. Advertisement for "Allie Gray" and other music: p. [6]