“Nothing More Agreeable”: George Washington's “Good Music”

About this event

“Nothing is more agreeable, and ornamental,” George Washington wrote at Middle Brook, New Jersey 250 years ago, “than good music.” John Burkhalter and the Practitioners of Musick, drawing from research in manuscript documents and rare books and playing period instruments, present a lecture and musical entertainment of “Good Music” the Washingtons knew. The Rockingham Association, friends of Rockingham State Historic Site, sponsor this program hosted at Kingston United Methodist Church. Free Registration Online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nothing-more-agreeable-george-washingtons-good-music-tickets-1996236288476?aff=oddtdtcreator ? Revolution NJ is New Jersey’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution on now through the 250th anniversary of George Washington’s Final Wartime Headquarters at Rockingham in 2033. George Washington, whilst a fine dancer and avid theatergoer, is not known to have ever played a musical instrument of any sort. When Francis Hopkinson, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey, composed of a book of songs dedicated to George Washington, he wrote in reply, “I can neither sing one of the songs nor raise a single note on any instrument.” A recently-identified ledger book entry however reveals that an adolescent Washington on September 10, 1748 paid 3 shillings, 9 pence to “a music master for my entrance,” suggesting the young Washington had at least some exposure to musical instruction. Martha Washington, meanwhile, brought up in comfortable surroundings as a child and young woman, understood well the value of music and dance as a social grace and was herself a proficient harpsichordist. Martha Washington’s daughter from her first marriage, Martha Parke Custis, called Patsy, was by all accounts capable of playing keyboard music of some difficulty. The inventory of music books at George Washington’s Mount Vernon include several bearing Patsy’s signature of ownership. The harpsichord seen…