Variations on "The Bonnie Blue Flag" music
This file appears in: "Bonnie Blue Flag:" The Most Dangerous Song of the Civil War
The first page of the sheet music calls the song "Fantasie pour piano sur le Bonnie Blue Flag." From just the first page, it is clear that the simple Irish melody has been reworked into a more classical sound. This version would not be used as an anthem like the original, but rather as an artistic nod to the popular tune.
Courtesy of the Collections of the Louisiana State Museum
This file appears in: "Bonnie Blue Flag:" The Most Dangerous Song of the Civil War
"Bonnie Blue Flag:" The Most Dangerous Song of the Civil War
The popularity of sheet music in the United States had reached its peak by the start of the Civil War. Well before the development of recording and broadcasting technology, the commercial music industry centered upon the circulation of sheet music…