The Battle of Manassas - Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins (1849-1908)

Composer and pianist Thomas Wiggins, known to the public as “Blind Tom,” had his first compositions published at the age of 11. Born an enslaved man in Columbus, Georgia, his enslaver realized his musical abilities and held concerts featuring Wiggins throughout the period of the American Civil War (1861 – 1865). In addition to being born blind, Wiggins also was likely on the autistic spectrum, based on eyewitness accounts of his performances. He had an incredible auditory memory, with an ability to not only reproduce pieces of music by ear, but also recreate famous speeches of Samuel Douglass and other orators. Throughout his career, Wiggins achieved considerable success, including being the first African-American performer to play at the White House at the age of 10. By the age of 16, he was performing works by Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, and Thalberg throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada. However, the revenue from these performances went to his managers, who continually took advantage of Wiggins’ talent.
Wiggins composed several pieces for voice and piano and over thirty works for solo piano. His work “The Battle of Manassas,” composed in 1866, is a wonderful example of his skill at translating the sounds of the world into music. The Battle of Manassas was the first battle of the American Civil War. The Union army, in a quest to end the war quickly, marched on the Confederate Army, but after the arrival of Confederate forces by railroad, the Union troops retreated in disarray. Wiggins, after hearing an account of the battle from a soldier, recreated the battle on the piano. You will hear the advancing Southern army, singing “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” the advancing Northern army, singing “Dixie,” the evening and preparations for the battle, “La Marseillaise,” sung by the Southern army, and other recognizable patriotic anthems. This piece presents a complicated legacy. Wiggins’ managers presented the piece as evidence of his fervent support for the Confederate cause, leading to the piece’s poor reception by Black audiences.
Learn more about Wiggins and his music:

http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/Wiggins.html
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/collection/marvelous-musical-prodigy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/centers/hitchcock/publications/amr/v40-2/moulton.php

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