Civil War music subject of new book by BGSU ethnomusicologist

Steven Cornelius, ethnomusicology, has published Music of the Civil War Era, a book recounting the many vibrant roles that music played during this troubled period in American history.

Steven Cornelius

In the book, part of the American History through Music Series available through Greenwood Press, Cornelius describes the role of military bands on both sides in entertaining the infantry units and in rallying soldiers. Issues of race are discussed and debated through examples of songs ranging from abolitionist anthems to minstrel shows.

Music of the Civil War Era also describes the growth of music publishing and the development of urban concert music.

Cornelius, who specializes in music of the Americas and West Africa, is director of the Afro-Caribbean Ensemble at BGSU and regularly accompanies University students on summer music and dance workshops to Ghana, West Africa. In addition, he serves as classical music and dance critic for The Blade in Toledo.

He is co-author of the book The Music of Santeria: Traditional Rhythms of the Bata Drums. He has performed with the Metropolitan and New York City operas and has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, CRI and GM record labels.

He holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Manhattan School of Music and the University of California at Los Angeles.

The American History through Music series uses music as a window through which readers can study American social history. Other books in the series discuss music of the Colonial and Revolutionary era and music of the Great Depression. The authors present analyses of American music genres, important musicians, technological innovations and the many connections between music, art, politics and daily life.