The Battle of Trenton

Most patriotic of early U. S. composers was an Englishman. In 1792 James Hewitt settled in Manhattan, where he conducted concerts for the peruked and crinolined promenaders at Delacroix's Vaux Hall Gardens. So fervent became Britisher Hewitt's Americanism that he deplored the British alehouse origin of The Star-Spangled Banner,* wrote himself a brand-new musical setting for Francis Scott Key's words.

For the piano, Composer Hewitt wrote a piece called The Fourth of July--A Grand Military Sonata. For the harpsichord he wrote a second "military sonata" called The Battle of Trenton, which he dedicated to General George Washington.

A realistic piece, The Battle of Trenton consisted of a collection of little movements, each depicting a stage in the battle. One of them was built around the tune Yankee Doodle. Each had a subtitle: Attack--Cannons--Bomb. Defeat of the Hessians -- General Confusion --Articles of Capitulation Signed--Grief of Americans for the loss of their companions killed in the engagement. Trumpets of Victory--General Rejoicing.

Rummaging recently through the archives of various U. S. libraries in search of early U. S. music. No. 1 U. S. Harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick hit upon James Hewitt's The Battle of Trenton. Last week, on a broadcast of U. S. music over WNYC, Harpsichordist Kirkpatrick played it. Though written for the most part in the measured, tinkling idiom of 18th-Century English salon music, The Battle of Trenton still preserved a smoldering crash and rumble reminiscent of the early works of Ludwig van Beethoven. Modern listeners found James Hewitt's ideas as quaint as a periwig, but agreed that his music was well worth unearthing.

-- The tune of The Star-Spangled Banner was borrowed from an old English drinking song called T. Anacreon in Heaven.

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