4/62 Composition with Geneva Scene
Serial no. ; Circa
Tunesheet interpretation by Gemini. This will need verifying later
1. Roaming I've Been
- Full Title: "I’ve Been Roaming"
- Composer: Charles Edward Horn (1786–1849).
- Background: This was a hit "Cavatina" (a short operatic song) first published around 1823. Horn was a famous London-born singer and composer who eventually moved to New York. The song was incredibly popular in drawing rooms and was often used in theatrical productions. The lyrics, "I’ve been roaming, I’ve been roaming, where the meadow dew is sweet," evoke a light, pastoral feeling that translates perfectly to the tinkling sound of a music box.
- Interpretation: This likely refers to a "Second Part" of a longer work or a specific movement from a popular opera or ballet of the time.
- Context: Given the era, "Lea" (or "Leah") could refer to "Leah the Forsaken," a very popular 19th-century play that often featured incidental music, or it may be a slightly misspelled reference to a contemporary French aria or a character name from an opera (common on these handwritten sheets).
- Interpretation: This appears to be a medley of three distinct, highly patriotic themes:
- Oh Werthe: Likely a misspelling of "O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast," a poem by Robert Burns set to music by Felix Mendelssohn in 1834.
- Waterloo: A reference to a popular commemorative march or song celebrating the victory at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).
- Royal Charlie: Refers to "Welcome Royal Charlie," a famous Jacobite song about Bonnie Prince Charlie.
- Background: Music box makers often combined snippets of famous patriotic airs into a single "track" to maximize the variety of the cylinder's rotation.
- Composer/Origin: Attributed to Dorothea Jordan (1761–1816).
- Background: This is one of the most famous "Scottish" songs of the 19th century. Although it sounds like a traditional folk tune, it was actually written and composed by Mrs. Jordan (a famous actress and mistress to King William IV) for a performance at Drury Lane in 1800. It tells the story of a "Highland laddie" going off to war. Because of its simple, haunting melody, it became a staple for music box manufacturers.
Tunes
Roaming I've Bien
Seconde partie sea
Oh Werthe Waterloo Royal Charlie
The Blue Bells of Scotland
Roaming I've Bien
Seconde partie sea
Oh Werthe Waterloo Royal Charlie
The Blue Bells of Scotland