Whispered Song: Discerning Voices of 19th Century Louisianan Poets

• Author / Creator

  Sommerfeldt, David Ray

• The messages of Free People of Colour were spread through subtle and
  subversive poetry and song in 19th century French Louisiana. Reuniting the lyrical
  poetry with the original music provides a deep and rich understanding of the
  intentions and meaning of the poems. The songs portray the French ideals of
  liberty, equality and fraternity of the French Revolution situated in the context of
  life in Civil War era Louisiana. This research details the discovery process of
  contemporary attitudes toward French in Louisiana, a historical analysis of song
  and lyrics of the 19th to mid-20th century, and an interpretation of poetry written
  by Free People of Colour as it relates to the works of Pierre-Jean de Beranger, a
  French poet who chronicled the spirit of the French Revolution. The narrative
  describes voices, once silenced, becoming a whispered song.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Free People of Color
  • Music
  • Louisana
  • Poetry
  • Creole

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Arts

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3011K

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.