Harry T. Burleigh
1866-1949
Musician, Composer, Singer
Level 2 biography
Level 2 biography
Fast Facts
Harry Thacker Burleigh was a musician of great talent. He sang, composed, and arranged music.
He helped to make the spiritual a recognized part of American music.
Born: December 2, 1866, in Erie, Pa.
Married Louise Alston in 1898
Child: Alston Burleigh, born 1899.
Died: September 12, 1949
Harry Thacker Burleigh was a musician of great talent. He sang, composed, and arranged music.
He helped to make the spiritual a recognized part of American music.
Born: December 2, 1866, in Erie, Pa.
Married Louise Alston in 1898
Child: Alston Burleigh, born 1899.
Died: September 12, 1949
Early Life
Harry Thacker Burleigh was born in Erie Pennsylvania on December 2, 1866. His mother had a college education, but could not get a teaching job. She worked as a servant in the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Russell. Harry’s grandfather had been a slave. His name was Hamilton Waters. He was partly blind. He worked as the lamplighter and town crier for the city of Erie. Mr. Waters sang songs that he had learned on the plantation for Harry. We know these songs today as spirituals.
Harry loved music. His mother’s employers, Mr. and Mrs. Russell, invited musicians to their home to play and sing. Harry listened to them from the hallway while his mother worked in the kitchen. One night the Russell’s invited a singer named Rafael Joseffy to sing in their home. Harry wanted to hear this concert very badly. His mother was not working that night. Harry stood outside the window in snow that came up to his knees to listen. He heard the concert, but became very sick from being out in the cold for so long. Harry’s mother knew how much music meant to him. She arranged with Mrs. Russell that Harry would work as the doorman when there was a concert. That way Harry could hear the music, and stay warm.
While he was growing up, Harry worked as a laborer to help earn money for the family. He sang as he worked. He also sang in choirs in churches and a synagogue in Erie. Harry graduated from High School in 1887. He worked as a stenographer for two businesses during the day. When he wasn’t at work, he was working on his music.
Musical Education
In 1892 the National Conservatory of Music in New York had scholarships to offer. Harry was 26 years old. He decided to try for a scholarship. Mrs. Russell wrote a letter recommending Harry as a fine musician. Harry had no money. He borrowed some money, and was given some money in gifts. When he went to New York, he had $30.00. Harry had an audition in front of a group of judges. He was awarded a scholarship.
Harry Burleigh’s scholarship only paid for his schooling. It did not pay for his food or a place to live. Harry worked at any job he could get, and sometimes went hungry. He studied voice, harmony, and counterpoint with excellent teachers. He also played in the orchestra, and took care of the orchestra’s library of music. While at the Conservatory of Music, Harry met several well-known composers. He got to know Victor Herbert and Edward MacDowell. His most important connection was with composer Antonin Dvorak.
Working with Dvorak
Antonin Dvorak was a composer from Czechoslovakia. He was the director of the Conservatory while Harry was there. He heard Harry sing some of the plantation songs. Dvorak thought they were very beautiful.
Some African Americans at this time were ashamed of the plantation songs. They reminded them of the terrible times of slavery. Dvorak felt that the songs were too beautiful to be forgotten. He thought they should be written down and saved, as part of American music. He encouraged Harry to write arrangements for some of the songs, so that they could be sung in concerts.
Harry Burleigh and Antonin Dvorak became good friends. Harry copied manuscripts for the composer. They often spent musical evenings together. When Dvorak arranged the song “Old Folks at Home,” Harry was chosen as a soloist for the performance in Madison Square Garden.
St. George’s Church
In January 1894 St. George’s Episcopal Church was looking for a new baritone soloist. Many fine singers applied for the job. Harry Burleigh was chosen. Only white people attended this church. Harry was the first African American to sing in the church choir. Harry was the soloist at St. George’s Church for 52 years. The job at St. George’s Church paid Harry enough money that he could concentrate on his music. He finished his studies in 1896. He then taught sight singing at the Conservatory from 1895 to 1898.
Marriage and Family
In 1898 Harry married Louise Alston. She was a poet. They had one son, whom they named Alston. Alston was born in 1899.
The same year that Alston was born, some of Harry’s songs were published. They were songs with words written by his wife Louise. In 1900 Harry was hired as a music editor for G. Ricordi. He also was chosen as a soloist at a New York synagogue, Temple Emanuel. Once again, Harry was their first African American soloist.
Writing Music
Harry Burleigh wrote over 200 compositions of his own. Some of them were: “Saracen Songs,” “Sweet Mother of Mine,” “Jean,” and “Passionale,” which was based on a series of poems.
In addition to writing his own music, Harry Burleigh thought that it was important to write down the plantation songs. He felt that they were an expression of the African American’s spiritual feelings. Many of them were about trusting in God during hard times. They became known as spirituals. Harry arranged many of these songs, which means that he wrote down the music that should be played and sung. He wrote them as art songs, to be sung by a professional musician. Before too long, many performers, both black and white, were singing spirituals in their concerts. Some of the songs that Harry arranged were “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Deep River,” “Go Down, Moses,” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” and “Were You There?”
Fame and Recognition
Harry Burleigh sang in many concerts on many stages. He made several trips to Europe. He was invited to sing for King Edward VII of England. He also sang for President Theodore Roosevelt.
Harry Burleigh received two honorary degrees, from Atlanta University and Howard University. He was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1917 by the NAACP for his outstanding achievement. St. George’s Church honored him in 1944 for all of the years that he had sung for them. They gave him a gift of money and a silver-banded cane.
Harry Burleigh encouraged young singers like Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson as they learned their art.
ASCAP
In 1914 a group was formed called The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. The purpose of ASCAP was to bring all musicians into one organization, which would protect the music they had written from illegal copying and performance. Harry Burleigh was a member from the start. He joined the board of directors in 1941.
Later Life
In 1946 Harry Burleigh retired from singing. His health was poor. In 1948 his son Alston put him in a rest home on Long Island. After a few months Alston moved his father to a nursing home in Stamford, Connecticut. Harry Burleigh died there on September 12, 1949. He died of heart failure. He was 82 years old.
At Harry Burleigh’s funeral some of the songs that he arranged were sung. His casket was carried by a number of composers, including Eubie Blake and William C. Handy.
Harry Burleigh was buried in Hastings-on-the-Hudson, New York. During the 1990’s, his family moved his remains to a grave in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Reading Level 6.8. Video courtesy of Erie Hall of Fame.
Harry Thacker Burleigh was born in Erie Pennsylvania on December 2, 1866. His mother had a college education, but could not get a teaching job. She worked as a servant in the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Russell. Harry’s grandfather had been a slave. His name was Hamilton Waters. He was partly blind. He worked as the lamplighter and town crier for the city of Erie. Mr. Waters sang songs that he had learned on the plantation for Harry. We know these songs today as spirituals.
Harry loved music. His mother’s employers, Mr. and Mrs. Russell, invited musicians to their home to play and sing. Harry listened to them from the hallway while his mother worked in the kitchen. One night the Russell’s invited a singer named Rafael Joseffy to sing in their home. Harry wanted to hear this concert very badly. His mother was not working that night. Harry stood outside the window in snow that came up to his knees to listen. He heard the concert, but became very sick from being out in the cold for so long. Harry’s mother knew how much music meant to him. She arranged with Mrs. Russell that Harry would work as the doorman when there was a concert. That way Harry could hear the music, and stay warm.
While he was growing up, Harry worked as a laborer to help earn money for the family. He sang as he worked. He also sang in choirs in churches and a synagogue in Erie. Harry graduated from High School in 1887. He worked as a stenographer for two businesses during the day. When he wasn’t at work, he was working on his music.
Musical Education
In 1892 the National Conservatory of Music in New York had scholarships to offer. Harry was 26 years old. He decided to try for a scholarship. Mrs. Russell wrote a letter recommending Harry as a fine musician. Harry had no money. He borrowed some money, and was given some money in gifts. When he went to New York, he had $30.00. Harry had an audition in front of a group of judges. He was awarded a scholarship.
Harry Burleigh’s scholarship only paid for his schooling. It did not pay for his food or a place to live. Harry worked at any job he could get, and sometimes went hungry. He studied voice, harmony, and counterpoint with excellent teachers. He also played in the orchestra, and took care of the orchestra’s library of music. While at the Conservatory of Music, Harry met several well-known composers. He got to know Victor Herbert and Edward MacDowell. His most important connection was with composer Antonin Dvorak.
Working with Dvorak
Antonin Dvorak was a composer from Czechoslovakia. He was the director of the Conservatory while Harry was there. He heard Harry sing some of the plantation songs. Dvorak thought they were very beautiful.
Some African Americans at this time were ashamed of the plantation songs. They reminded them of the terrible times of slavery. Dvorak felt that the songs were too beautiful to be forgotten. He thought they should be written down and saved, as part of American music. He encouraged Harry to write arrangements for some of the songs, so that they could be sung in concerts.
Harry Burleigh and Antonin Dvorak became good friends. Harry copied manuscripts for the composer. They often spent musical evenings together. When Dvorak arranged the song “Old Folks at Home,” Harry was chosen as a soloist for the performance in Madison Square Garden.
St. George’s Church
In January 1894 St. George’s Episcopal Church was looking for a new baritone soloist. Many fine singers applied for the job. Harry Burleigh was chosen. Only white people attended this church. Harry was the first African American to sing in the church choir. Harry was the soloist at St. George’s Church for 52 years. The job at St. George’s Church paid Harry enough money that he could concentrate on his music. He finished his studies in 1896. He then taught sight singing at the Conservatory from 1895 to 1898.
Marriage and Family
In 1898 Harry married Louise Alston. She was a poet. They had one son, whom they named Alston. Alston was born in 1899.
The same year that Alston was born, some of Harry’s songs were published. They were songs with words written by his wife Louise. In 1900 Harry was hired as a music editor for G. Ricordi. He also was chosen as a soloist at a New York synagogue, Temple Emanuel. Once again, Harry was their first African American soloist.
Writing Music
Harry Burleigh wrote over 200 compositions of his own. Some of them were: “Saracen Songs,” “Sweet Mother of Mine,” “Jean,” and “Passionale,” which was based on a series of poems.
In addition to writing his own music, Harry Burleigh thought that it was important to write down the plantation songs. He felt that they were an expression of the African American’s spiritual feelings. Many of them were about trusting in God during hard times. They became known as spirituals. Harry arranged many of these songs, which means that he wrote down the music that should be played and sung. He wrote them as art songs, to be sung by a professional musician. Before too long, many performers, both black and white, were singing spirituals in their concerts. Some of the songs that Harry arranged were “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Deep River,” “Go Down, Moses,” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” and “Were You There?”
Fame and Recognition
Harry Burleigh sang in many concerts on many stages. He made several trips to Europe. He was invited to sing for King Edward VII of England. He also sang for President Theodore Roosevelt.
Harry Burleigh received two honorary degrees, from Atlanta University and Howard University. He was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1917 by the NAACP for his outstanding achievement. St. George’s Church honored him in 1944 for all of the years that he had sung for them. They gave him a gift of money and a silver-banded cane.
Harry Burleigh encouraged young singers like Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson as they learned their art.
ASCAP
In 1914 a group was formed called The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. The purpose of ASCAP was to bring all musicians into one organization, which would protect the music they had written from illegal copying and performance. Harry Burleigh was a member from the start. He joined the board of directors in 1941.
Later Life
In 1946 Harry Burleigh retired from singing. His health was poor. In 1948 his son Alston put him in a rest home on Long Island. After a few months Alston moved his father to a nursing home in Stamford, Connecticut. Harry Burleigh died there on September 12, 1949. He died of heart failure. He was 82 years old.
At Harry Burleigh’s funeral some of the songs that he arranged were sung. His casket was carried by a number of composers, including Eubie Blake and William C. Handy.
Harry Burleigh was buried in Hastings-on-the-Hudson, New York. During the 1990’s, his family moved his remains to a grave in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Reading Level 6.8. Video courtesy of Erie Hall of Fame.
