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Christmas Gift Idea in Boston, December 1871: Gilmore's History of the National Peace Jubilee


Patrick S. Gilmore's signature book, History of the National Peace Jubilee and Great Musical Festival, was advertised as a Christmas gift idea by the Boston Evening Transcript in December 1871 leading up to Christmas.  

The 758-page, 6 x 9" volume, published by Gilmore himself, was released in late summer 1871 and which sold for $5.00 by Lee & Shepard, a publishing and bookselling firm on Washington Street in Boston. 

The book was an exhaustive account of the National Peace Jubilee, which took place in Boston on June 15-19, 1869, a musical celebration of peace devised by Gilmore himself to mark the aftermath of the Civil War.

More than 1,000 musicians and 10,000+ vocalists performed during the five-day Jubilee in the section of Boston now known as Copley Square.  U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant attended the event,  and top musicians included violinists Ole Bull and Carl Rose and vocalists Madame Parepa-Rosa and Adelaide Phillips.  Despite early criticism from Boston's musical elite and the New York press corps, the Jubilee was considered an enormous success, certainly by the people who attended, but also for the quality of its music and musicianship. 

In the book's Introduction, Gilmore writes: "Among the last acts of the Executive Committee of the National Peace Jubilee Association it was voted "that a faithful and partial history of that interesting event, from its incept to its close, be prepared for publication.""

Gilmore himself undertook the task of writing the book, which involved collecting numerous documents, newspaper accounts, lists of musicians, musical selections and more as well as a running narrative of his trials and tribulations as chief organizer, fundraiser and conductor.  

With tongue-in-check, Gilmore concludes in the Introduction, "The task is done, the record made, the duty discharged, and the result of a good deal of 'hard work' lies before the reader.  The author confesses having had a severe struggle to arrive at the word, 'Finis,' and what may be said of his literary labor is now fearful to contemplate; but it being the effort of a 'prentice hand,' critics and reviewers are respectfully requested not to put too fine a point upon their pencils, remembering that ' Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'" 

Born in Ballygar, County Galway, Gilmore emigrated to Boston in 1849 and steadily became one of the city's most popular and successful musicians, band leaders and impresarios.  His song, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, published in 1863, is still played by musicians and bands today. 

The success of the 1869 National Peace Jubilee inspired Gilmore to undertake an even bigger musical festival, the World Peace Jubilee, held from June 17 to July 4, 1872.  

For more about the Irish-American community in Boston, Massachusetts, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com and IrishMassachusetts.com. 


    

    










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