Introduction:
The orchestral score of “The Death Song of an Indian Chief” from the Massachusetts Magazine, vol. II (March 1791), by Mr. Hans Gram, of Boston.
Dates: 1791
Biographical Note:
“The Death Song of an Indian Chief” was the first orchestral score published in the United States. Composed by Hans Gram, “The Death Song of an Indian Chief” was inspired by the poem Ouâbi: or the Virtues of Nature. An Indian Tale in Four Cantos, written by Philenia (penname of Sarah Wentworth Morton) in 1790.
Hans Gram was born in Copenhagen and immigrated to Massachusetts in 1785 where he established himself as a music master. Beginning in 1789, Gram began publishing his music in the Massachusetts Magazine.
Sarah Wentworth Morton was born in Boston. The poem Ouâbi: or the Virtues of Nature. An Indian Tale in Four Cantos (1790) was her first published work.
Collection Scope:
This collection consists of the orchestral score; “The Death Song of an Indian Chief” published in 1791 by The Massachusetts Magazine and was written by Hans Gram. The orchestra was inspired by Ouâbi: or the Virtues of Nature. An Indian Tale in Four Cantos, by Philenia (1790).
Access and Use:
A digital copy of this collection is available:
M-343: Death Song of an Indian Chief Orchestral Score
Use Restrictions: Portions of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned, or photographed, depending on condition and restrictions.
Access Restrictions: Access to portions of this collection may be restricted depending on condition.
Please direct any questions regarding this collection to the Reading Room at the St. Louis Mercantile Library by contacting 314.516.7247.
Citation: When citing material from this collection, the preferred citation is: From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
