Frederick Russell Burton (1861-1909)

F. BUrton Obverse Card.jpg (66852 bytes)

TRANSCRIPTION

Front:

The Friday Morning Club
desires the honor of
Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Sears's
presence at a reception in celebration of
the close of its twentieth season
to be given in Tuckerman Hall¹
Friday evening, May first, nineteen hundred and three
from eight to ten o'clock

Please present
this card at the door

Reverse:

(Music example)
Chekahbay tebik

Frederick R. Burton
Negaunneckahboh²
Oct. 2, 1903

1) Tuckerman Hall is presumed to be the existing facility in Worcester, Massachusetts built in 1902 as The Worcester Woman's Club. Today it is home to the Central Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra.

2) This term, Negaunneckahboh means, "He-Who-Stands-In-Front," is a title given Burton by the Ojibways to describe his position as a conductor. (See more below - About the Composer).

TRANSLATION

"Cheka[h]bay tebik" is an incipit from an Ojibway song.

Chekahbay tebik
ondandeyan
Chekahbay tebik
ondandeyan
Ahgahmahsibi
ondandeyan*

In the still night,
the long hours through
I guide my bark canoe
My bark canoe
my love, to you

(*Literally, "Throughout the night I keep awake, Upon the river I keep awake.)

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Reportedly, the Ojibway nation is the largest of group of Native Americans north of Mexico. Traditionally, Ojibways, a woodland tribe, lived in southern Canada and in the United States around the Great Lakes. The State of Wisconsin is named for an Ojibway word, weeskonsan, that meant an area of water and a grass.

Birch bark canoes were made in various lengths from 10 feet to 40 feet. The frame was constructed of cedar strips, then birch bark was sewn over the frame sealed with boiled tree sap.

Reference: Frederick R. Burton, AMERICAN PRIMITIVE MUSIC : WITH ESPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE SONGS OF THE OJIBWAYS (New York : Moffat, Yard, 1909).

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

The following information was sent to us on July 15, 2004 via e-mail by John Burton, great-grandson of Frederick R. Burton:

"I must now tell you about my great grandfather, Frederick Russell Burton. Frederick graduated Summa Cum Laude in music from Harvard, class of 1882. He was an authority on Indian music. President Roosevelt sent Frederick to Canada to preserve the Ojibway music. In 1905 he took a party of 40 Indians to Europe, where he toured giving exhibitions for a year's time. The Ojibways took kindly to him, and adopted him and my grandfather into their tribe (the highest honor that can be given a white man). They gave him the name, Negaunneckahboh. This means, "He-Who-Stands-In-Front," as the first time they saw him he was conducting an orchestra in Chicago.

He was the composer of Indian musical cantata, Hiawatha. He also wrote the music and words to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. He wrote a number of songs and choruses and an ode on the occasion of the second inauguration of President McKinley." -- (Used by permission.)

Rev. 07/20/2004

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