Louisiana Music History: Materials in Special Collections

Most of the music that was popular during the 19th century is categorized under what we call the “classical” genre today. Music was played at balls, concerts, performances, and in the home. It could involve a symphony of instruments, or a single piano or violin. As one of the primary sources of entertainment at the time, sheet music was often collected by individuals or families who owned instruments. LSU Special Collections houses many 19th century family papers containing sheet music and musical scores. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Manuscript collections

Gospel music originated in churches as a modified form of traditional hymns, and its origins were not well documented. White gospel music originated at the turn of the 20th century, and typically involved the use of four part harmonies in the major key (a similar style to barbershop quartets). This variant of gospel music was secularized by country musicians such as the Carter Family in the mid-20th century. The second gospel variant is Black gospel, which was popularized by musicians such as Thomas Dorsey and Mahalia Jackson during the early and mid-20th century. These musicians recorded the music that was sung in Black Christian churches, which emphasized improvisation, personal expression, and movement. Both forms have inspired new genres and remain popular in the United States today. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Books and other published materials

Manuscript collections

Oral histories

Among the cultures that make up Louisiana’s musical identity are those of the region’s Indigenous tribes. The federal government recognizes four tribes in Louisiana, and the state recognizes eleven. Beyond these, many other Indigenous nations have ancestral lands in this region. Indigenous music and dance was often adapted for or incorporated into new genres as they emerged, such as jazz and Creole. Louisiana’s Native peoples have maintained the traditional elements of their ancestral music, however, and they will often perform songs and dances at gatherings and special events. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Books and other published materials

Manuscript collections

One of the principal facilitators of jazz was Congo Square, a gathering space in New Orleans where enslaved Africans met on Sundays to perform their ancestral music. Jazz combines elements of traditional African music, enslaved African work songs and sacred music, and European classical music. Performers at Congo Square experimented with different instruments and harmonic progressions, incorporating washboards, drums, homemade percussion instruments, single-line melodies, heterophony, and call-and-response vocals. The genre incorporates many of the elements used in blues music. Jazz became a wildly popular genre, and came to define an entire decade in the United States (1920-1933), which is commonly referred to as the “Jazz Age.” It inspired new genres throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, including swing, big band jazz, bebop, Dixieland jazz, free jazz, jazz-funk, etc. Jazz and Louisiana culture, particularly New Orleans culture, maintain a strong connection to this day. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Manuscript collections

Creole is a term used to describe Louisiana’s colonial heritage, as well as the significant cultural influences of African American, Indigenous, and immigrant populations. The term “Creole” can be applied to many aspects of life in Louisiana, though it is primarily used to describe two things: food and music. During the 20th century, the term “Black Creole” emerged as a way to acknowledge the unique identity and experience of Black francophones, and it is with this group that Zydeco music is most often associated. The term Cajun Creole is, by contrast, used to describe white francophones. Louisiana folk instruments include the fiddle and the accordion, which are primarily (though not exclusively) used in Cajun and Zydeco music, respectively. The impact of both Cajun and Zydeco music in Louisiana cannot be understated. Today, these genres can be heard around the world. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Books and other published materials

Manuscript collections

Opera has been a large part of Louisiana music culture since the 18th century, particularly in New Orleans. The first documented opera performance in New Orleans took place at the Théâtre St. Pierre in 1796. Following this, many theatres were erected, sold, and destroyed as opera grew in popularity throughout the 19th century. These theatres hosted resident and traveling companies and performers, and New Orleans was a premiere destination for opera artists and enthusiasts. After its construction in 1859, the French Opera House became the primary venue for opera performances in the city until it was closed permanently after a fire in 1919. New Orleans did not have a resident company again until 1949, when the New Orleans Opera Association was established. Today, the New Orleans Opera Association hosts performances at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Manuscript collections

Patriotic music was an exceedingly popular genre in the United States during the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th century. It was performed as a way to promote certain political agendas or candidates. Many of these songs were written as marches. The march, though inspired by military music, is not patriotic by nature. This genre is characterized by a rapid tempo, three unique strains (sections), and a key change that occurs in the third strain (the trio). While marches are traditionally played by large bands, these songs were often adapted for the piano so that they might be enjoyed in the home. LSU Special Collections houses sheet music for political campaign songs, civilian marches, and military marches. 

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Books and other published materials

Manuscript collections