Music and Race
Elmira had a vibrant music scene during the Gilded Age. Musicians and composers, including Charles X. O’Brien and Albert Krug, gained local fame through their popular songs. D.S. Andrus & Co., a music shop and publishing group, sold sheet music and instruments to Elmirans. Sheet music was even included in the Elmira Telegram newspaper.
The Gilded Ideal
Thomas Edison's phonograph was the first machine able to reproduce recorded sounds. This allowed people to have music in their homes without needing to know how to play instruments. Elmirans also had many options to see live music played in the city. The Elmira Opera House hosted many famous acts, which brought new and exciting music from around the world to the city.
The Tarnished Reality
Many popular songs contained complex racial themes. Some lyrics were written in a stereotypical black dialect and used racial slurs, such as “coon” or “possum.” Sheet music was illustrated with cartoons of African Americans with exaggerated features. Minstrel shows and blackface performances were popular forms of live entertainment that played in many local venues, including the Elmira Opera House.
