A Yankee Musician in Europe: The 1837 Journals of Lowell Mason

Abstract

By the middle of the nineteenth century Lowell Mason (1792-1872) was probably the most famous native-born musician in America. Concentrating almost exclusively on vocal music he built a spectacular reputation as choir director and teacher. He published many collections of sacred music which sold in unprecedented numbers and made him a household name. In 1837 he travelled to Europe on a little-publicised trip. This was a bold move decades before such trips became common-place and hisdiaries from this time are a primary source of information on early nineteenth century European music. This edition of Mason's 1837 journal has been carefully edited: throughout Broyles has attempted to reproduce the original manuscript faithfully, making adjustments only where these have been necessary for intelligibility. Appendices include a list of actual names with, where possible, a potted biography; an itinery of the tour and those letters received during the trip which still survive. An introduction completes this unique and highly readable volume.