War of 1812 Comes Alive in Song

The War of 1812 Comes Alive in Song

The Middlesex County Historical Society  is pleased to present Rick Spencer and his program, “Songs of the War of 1812,” on Thursday, March 8 at 7:00 pm in the Hubbard Room at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown. He will include a discussion of the antecedents, causes, and significant events of the war, which began 200 years ago this year. However, the highlight of this program is his presentation of 12 songs which were popular during the period or which were written about some aspect of the war. 

Included are songs used as recruiting tools to induce young British men to sign up for military service, and a song of lament from the perspective of a woman whose husband has been impressed into the service. Other songs describe seafaring battles during the war, the soldiering life, and the patriotism of the period. 

Music has been an important part of every war that humankind has ever conducted. Music has provided encouragement for the cause, patriotic zeal, propaganda, and comfort to those whose lives have been changed by war. It has provided documentation (sometime accurate, sometimes not) of the circumstances of the conflicts. This program presents music that was popular during the War of 1812, and gives insight into the personalities and events on both sides of the confrontation. The songs add an emotional, human, and cultural connection to the conflict, encouraging the listener to bridge the distance in time and adding color and depth to the facts of this war.

Rick Spencer has been in the business of historical performance for over 25 years. He worked for 20 years as a researcher, historian and presenter of traditional maritime songs and sea chanteys at Mystic Seaport and has performed widely in the United States,  Canada, and Europe. Rick is best known for his work as a developer and presenter of theme-based historic music programs. He currently holds the positions of executive director and curator of the Dr. Ashbel Woodward Museum in Franklin, CT.

Join us for an evening of song and commemoration!  For further information, contact the Historical Society at 860-346-0746.  The Society is located in the General Joseph Mansfield House and currently has two exhibits for public viewing:  Hard & Stirring Times: Middletown and the Civil War and Within These Walls: One House, One Family, Two Centuries, the story of the Mansfield House and the family who lived there.