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

“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 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution on now through the 250^th 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 musicand 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 in the fancy parlour at Mount Vernon today was ordered by President Washington from the London firm of Longman and Broderip, certainly with Mrs. Washington’s approval, as a gift for Eleanor Parke Custis. Nelly, as she was called, was Mrs. Washington’s granddaughter and President Washington’s step-granddaughter. Nelly’s completed two manual harpsichord was sent to Philadelphia in 1793.

Other instruments known to have been owned by members of the extended Washington family include a violin, German flute, English Guitars, a spinet made in 1762 by John Plenius of London, and a square piano purchased in 1789 from the New York City shop of Thomas Dodd.When General Washington in retirement was not obliged to attend to “ceremonious company, he would take delight in listening to Nelly sing and play airs from his favorite theatrical entertainments such as ‘Rosina’ and ‘The Poor Soldier.’”