Old Cremona
02-29-2008, 12:20 PM
The Converse family of New York was certaintly gifted musically (and hard-working!). Franklin Buchannan Converse is well-known to banjo enthusiasts for his invaluable early method books. His older brother Charles Crozat Converse was equally dedicated to disseminating musical techniques as evidenced by his New Method For Guitar published in 1855. I have a picture of the cover, courtesy of a poster on the Briggs Banjo Google Forum. I wish I could find a copy of the whole thing.
Charles Converse studied music at the Leipzig Conservatory in the mid-1850's and made the acquaintence of Franz Liszt and Louis Spohr. Upon returning to the States he studied at Albany University and gave up the profession of music for one in Law. He kept composing at least on a part time basis, however, and wrote the music for "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" (1868) and the charming "Welcome Home" (1866), a response to the plaintive "Do They Miss Me at Home."
Charles Converse studied music at the Leipzig Conservatory in the mid-1850's and made the acquaintence of Franz Liszt and Louis Spohr. Upon returning to the States he studied at Albany University and gave up the profession of music for one in Law. He kept composing at least on a part time basis, however, and wrote the music for "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" (1868) and the charming "Welcome Home" (1866), a response to the plaintive "Do They Miss Me at Home."