In late July 1898, O'Hare boarded the train
for a visit to New York "in the interest of some of his
musical compositions published in that city." Remarking
that the local composer's "pieces lately published by one
of the foremost New York music firms, notably M. Witmark &
Sons, are sold throughout this country, England, and Canada,"
the article next explains his trip: "The professor's publishers
have suggested that a visit from him to New York at this time
might be of special benefit to the success of his compositions
as it would place him in personal contact with those who produce
the latest and best music in public." Exactly which musicians
he met remains a mystery; nevertheless, two and a half weeks
after his departure, the first of two follow-up articles implies
that some such contact may have already occurred: "Prof.
William Christopher O'Hare of this city is at present in New
York City and is creating quite a sensation in the musical circles
of the great metropolis by his beautiful productions." Pointing
directly to a meeting, an article three weeks later reports,
"Prof. W. C. O'Hare has returned from a very enjoyable trip
to New York where he received an ovation from some of the most
celebrated composers."
Along with "The Awakening of Venus" (a waltz) and "Heliobas"
(a "mystery dance") appeared the publication most familiar
to ragtime pianists and fans today: "Levee
Revels," the "Southern Interlude" described
as O'Hare's "outstanding success" and listed as one
of Witmark's "Instrumental Hits." Opening with a minor
mode strain common in early rags, this piece is largely pentatonic
and repetitive. "Melodically, it's very simple and folksy,"
comments Ed Berlin. Reminiscent of the opening twenty-measure
strain in "The Cotton Pickers," "Levee Revels"
begins with an eighteen-measure strain A and a twenty-measure
strain B, rather than with standard sixteen-measure strains breaking
into four balanced four-measure phrases.
Although one might expect such "folk" characteristics
from an untrained musician, Wm. Christopher O'Hare did not fit
this profile. Why, then, did he write in this style? ...
© 2002 Susan C. Attalla.
The complete text of this article appears in our printed issue.
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