Charleston Belles Abroad: The Music Collections of Harriet Lowndes, Henrietta Aiken, and Louisa Rebecca McCord

Candace Bailey's book, Charleston Belles Abroad, explores the music collections of elite southern women in Charleston, South Carolina, before the Civil War. She analyzes these collections as primary sources to understand musical culture, instruction, private performance, cultural tourism, and the history of the music industry during this period. Bailey's research reveals that international travel and music education in Europe were common among Charleston's elite families, and the women purchased the latest music publications and performed them in private and at semipublic events. The book contributes to southern and urban history by examining music in the context of transatlantic values, interpersonal relationships, and stability and tumult in the South during the nineteenth century.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 280 pages
\n Publication date: 28 February 2019
\n Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
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In her captivating book, Charleston Belles Abroad, Candace Bailey delves into the profound impact of music collections on the lives of elite women in Charleston, South Carolina, during the antebellum period. Bailey, a skilled musicologist, has extensively researched a substantial archive of music held at various southern libraries, including the historic Aiken-Rhett House, once owned by William Aiken Jr., a prominent businessman, rice planter, and governor of South Carolina. Through her meticulous examination of these collections, Bailey unravels the rich tapestry of musical culture, instruction, private performances, cultural tourism, and the history of the music industry during this pivotal era.

The bound and unbound collections, along with their associated publications, reveal that international travel and music education in Europe were prevalent among the elite families of Charleston. While abroad, these budding musicians would procure the latest music publications and bring them back to Charleston, where they would perform them in private gatherings and at semipublic events. By examining the collections of these elite women, Bailey offers a narrow but insightful glimpse into the cultural priorities of one of the South's most influential cities. She illuminates both the similarities and disparities in the training of young women to enter society during this period.

Charleston Belles Abroad is a significant contribution to southern and urban history, offering a deep study of music within the context of transatlantic values, interpersonal relationships, and the stability and tumult experienced in the South during the nineteenth century. Through her meticulous research and engaging narrative, Bailey provides readers with a captivating perspective on the role of music in shaping the lives of these privileged women and contributing to the rich cultural heritage of the region.

\n Weight: 574g\n
Dimension: 160 x 236 x 29 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781611179569\n \n