Musical Cemeteries
On the rolling hills of Brooklyn's historic, 19th century Green-Wood Cemetery one summer's day, an unusual event occurred. Hundreds of people, some with picnic trays, sat down to listen to music. And it wasn't funeral music either -- the band played the Overture to the "Wizard of Oz," music by Leonard Bernstein, tunes by the 19th century American composer. At the end of the concert, the audience clapped wildly, and some of those buried underneath must have applauded, too -- every number was connected in some way to someone buried at Green-Wood.
A cemetery usually isn't considered "the place" for a concert. But in the mid-1800s, before New York City's parks were built, families often went on outings to cemeteries just to catch some green space. Today, two venerable cemeteries -- Green-Wood in Brooklyn, Woodlawn in the Bronx -- are using concerts to draw attention to the many distinguished musical figures buried in each place.
Woodlawn, which boasts Duke Ellington, Miles Davis (their tombstones face each other), Irving Berlin and George M. Cohan among its "residents," has been holding concerts on the grounds for 20 years. The concerts, says spokeswoman Francesca Brigliadori, are held all year round -- the most recent was part of a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. Others have included St. Patrick's Day concerts of Irish music, jazz and Latin concerts, and a special 100th birthday tribute to the Duke last year.
On the Fourth of July, said Brigliadori, a patriotic concert is held, with the music of Irving Berlin ("God Bless America") and George M. Cohan ("You're a Grand Old Flag"). Maybe someday, the spirits of these grand old gentlemen will be so moved that they will rise to do a tap-dance to Cohan's "Give My Regards to Broadway" or Berlin's "Puttin' on the Ritz." On the subject of Woodlawn, we should also pause to mention some of that cemetery's distinguished non-musical "alumni": author Herman Melville, chain store founder F.W. Woolworth, hotel magnate Harry Helmsley, and the dance team of Vernon and Irene Castle.
The concert at Green-Wood was the first one there, although another is planned for next summer, says cemetery manager Rich Moyland. Last summer's concert was held to raise funds to rehabilitate the monument there to the19th century American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk. Known in his day as the American Chopin, Gottschalk was probably the first classically trained composer to incorporate Latin-American and African-American themes into his music. A native Southerner, he was a staunch supporter of the Union during the Civil War, and his "The Union," played at the concert, incorporates such patriotic songs as "Hail Columbia" and "Yankee Doodle."
As mentioned, all the music played at the concert was related to Green-Wood in some way. Bernstein's music was played because the great composer and conductor's grave lies there. The Overture for the "Wizard of Oz" honored Frank Morgan, who played the wiz in the original 1939 motion picture and is buried on the grounds. And because many members of the Steinway family, manufacturers of prestigious Steinway pianos, are interred at Green-Wood, Gottschalk's piano solo, "The Banjo," was played on a Steinway grand especially provided by the company.
So the next time some of you music-lovers visit New York City, don't only go to rock and jazz clubs, to the opera, to Broadway musicals. Check out Woodlawn and Green-Wood -- New York's musical cemeteries1x
By Raanan Geberer
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