Page 10 Portland Observer Section II Februery 26. 1961
EDUM UND DeDe' (1829-1903) studied the clarinet
as a child under Debarque. He switched to the violin
under G avici, the w hile d irector o f the St. Charles
Theatre Orchestra. As he matured, DcDe’ supported
him self as a cigar maker and lived fru g a lly u n til he
could go to Paris in 1857 on his savings to continue his
studies. He remained in France, m arried a French
woman, and became the director o f the orchestra o f
l.'A lc o z a r in Bordeaux. Several o f his more notable
compositions are: l.e Semen! de I. 'Arabe, Valliant Hele
Rose Quadrille and Le Palmier Overture.
Other areas o f the South found entertainer/musicians
often working in obsecure anonymity. Most documen
tation o f the time indicates that free Blacks performed
or listened to recreational music within the confines o f
their own homes. The churches were a bastion fo r
gatherings, as has been noted, and often provided a
focus for social gatherings. Taverns and streetcorners in
urban areas gave the itinerant musician a place to per
form.
In the rural area, the slave fid dler or banjoist, as
noted, would provide instrumental music in his jubilees.
SAM UEL SNAER (1883 - ?) was most noted as a
pianist, but performed as well on the cello and violin.
He taught both violin and piano and was the organist
for St. M ary’ s R.C. Church. Snaer was a productive
composer o f both secular and religious music, with an
overture for fu ll orchestra (G raziella) and a solemn
Mass to his credit. In addition, the musician/composer
wrote instrumental pieces, vocal and instrumental com
positions, Polka, Mazurkas, Quadrilles, and Waltzes.
E.V. M cCARTY (1812 - ?) received his first piano
lessons under professor J. Norres in New Orleans. An
unnamed patron felt that McCarty’s skills merited fu r
ther study in Paris where he became friendly with the
Hon. Pierre Soule who intervened to get him admitted
to the Imperial Conservatoire, even though he was over
age. He studied harmony, composition and achieved
some d istin c tio n in vocal music. He also became a
dramatist and was awarded the lead in the play Antony
by Alexander Duman. McCarty remained in Paris.
In addition to individual achievements in musician-
ship, the fascination for parades and brass bands was
shared by all o f the citizens o f New Orelans. Blacks had
heir own brass bands and a high degree o f proficiency
was achieved by the instrumentalists, for private study
was often pursued by the band members.
SOLOMON NORTHRUP, in his book Twelve Years
As A Slave, clearly articulated how slaves had a deter
m ination to make some sense o f an insensate
degradation through music.
Born free in Saratoga Springs, New York, he became
well-known in the area fo r his expertise in fid d lin g .
W o rkin g during the summers at the U nited States
Hotel, a resort in his home town, he became an itinerant
fiddler during the winter months, playing with " p ic k
up” dance bands and earning as much as three dollars a
night.
Lured to Washington, D.C ., by a promise o f a well
paying engagement plus expenses, N orthrup was kid
napped and taken to a plantation in Louisiana where he
became property o f Edwin Epps and acquired the new
name o f Platt Epps.
During this period, his mistress encouraged Epps to
buy ‘ ‘ P la tt’ ’ a v io lin so that he could entertain the
fa m ily. When it was discovered that he really did
possess considerable skill, Epps hired out his slave to
play at other plantations.
Playing his violin was the only balm that Northrup
had during his bondage. Poetically, he wrote: “ It was
my companion the frie n d o f my bosom, tn um ph iny
loudly when I was joyful, and uttering its soft, melodius
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Bill Pickett
Bill Pickett was a Texan, born about 1860, the son of a Choc
taw Indian woman and a Black man. After cowboying through
South Am erica, he settled dow n in O klahom a. There he
became a rodeo star.
Pickett, who invented the sport of ''B u lld o g g in g '' steers
traveled with a wild west show through the US, England and
Mexico. He would leap from his horse onto a running steer,
grab a horn In each hand and twist until the steer's nose came
up. Holding the steer with his teeth, he'd fall to the side and
drag the kicking bull to the ground.
Bill Pickett
1860-1932
C o w b o y a n d in v e n to r o f th e ro d e o s p o rt of b u lld o g g in g
Once, In Mexico, he wrestled a bull In front of 25,000 people,
clinging to the bull's horns for 38 minutes.
Farmer John's Fast Foods
Killingsworth at Vancouver
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