All Music

Maggie by My Side

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1852

Firth, Pond & Co. entered “Maggie by My Side” for copyright on October 14, 1852, depositing a title page on that day as well. An arrangement of “Maggie by My Side” with guitar accompaniment was entered and deposited for copyright on September 20, 1854, by Firth, Pond & Co.

According to Evelyn Foster Mornweck’s The Chronicles of Stephen Foster’s Family, “After his return from the South in March, 1852, Stephen published that year ‘Massa’s in de Cold Ground,’ ‘The Hour for Thee and Me,’ ‘I Cannot Sing Tonight,’ and ‘Maggie by My Side.’”

Marsch-Fantasie für grosses Orchester, op. 8

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1877

Adolph M. Foerster composed the Marsch-Fantasie für grosses Orchester, op. 8, in 1877. Manuscripts of the parts and two full scores are found in the Adolph M. Foerster Collection.

Mary Loves the Flowers

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1850

“Mary Loves the Flowers” was entered and deposited for copyright on January 16, 1850, by Firth, Pond & Co. 

Massa’s in de Cold Ground

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1852

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“Massa’s in de Cold Ground” was submitted for copyright entry on June 29, 1852, and for copyright deposit on July 7, 1852, by Firth, Pond & Co. Clark’s School Visitor republished the song in December, 1859, with the permission of Firth, Pond & Co. The song’s more familiar title, “Massa’s in de Cold, Cold Ground” did not appear until the Oliver Ditson Company issued it under that title in 1867. 

Matrix

Artist (Composed By): 
Rivers, Sam (Carthorne)

Meditation

Artist (Composed By): 
Oetting, William H.
ca.
1875-1969

“Meditation” is an organ arrangement made by the composer, William H. Oetting, of the third movement of his Three Short Sketches for Piano. The manuscript in the William Oetting Collection is not dated.

Meet Me Where There’ll Be No More Good-by

Artist (Composed By): 
Pace, Charles H. (Henry)
1945

For SATB choir and piano. 

Mel

Artist (Composed By): 
Rivers, Sam (Carthorne)

Melinda May

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1851

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“Melinda May” was entered and deposited for copyright on January 6, 1851, by F. D. Benteen of Baltimore. The copyright claim on the sheet music states 1850, which means the copyright entry was most likely delayed for the new year.

Merry Little Birds Are We

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1862

“Merry Little Birds Are We” was entered and deposited for copyright on June 10, 1862, by Horace Waters of New York.

The Merry, Merry Month of May

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1862

“The Merry, Merry Month of May” was originally published in Clark’s School Visitor in May, 1862, and was later published as a songsheet. A caption title was filed for copyright entry on April 12, 1862, by Daughaday & Hammond of Philadelphia.

The tune for “The Merry, Merry Month of May” is the same as that for “The White House Chair.”

Message

Artist (Composed By): 
Rivers, Sam (Carthorne)

Meteor

Artist (Composed By): 
Rivers, Sam (Carthorne)

Mighty lak’ a Rose

Artist (Composed By): 
Nevin, Ethelbert
1901

WARNING: Written by white lyricist Frank L. Stanton and composed by white composer Ethelbert Nevin, this song features dialect intended to portray the singing character as Black.

With a text by Frank L. Stanton, this song was published by John Church in 1901. Holograph sketches of the song are found in the Ethelbert Nevin Collection.

Mine Is the Mourning Heart

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1861

“Mine Is the Mourning Heart” was entered for copyright on January 17, 1861, and deposited on February 1, 1861, by Daughaday & Hammond of Philadelphia. 

On February 1, 1861, Daughaday & Hammond deposited a caption title for the song cut from a January 17, 1861, issue of Clark’s School Visitor, however no copy is known to survive. Like other songs that first appeared in Clark’s, “Mine Is the Mourning Heart” was later published in sheet music form, in this case by Root & Cady in May, 1863.

Miss Shanghai

Artist (Composed By): 
Rivers, Sam (Carthorne)

Molly Dear Good Night

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1861

“Molly Dear Good Night” was entered and deposited for copyright on April 6, 1861, by Firth, Pond & Co.

According to Evelyn Foster Mornweck’s The Chronicles of Stephen Foster’s Family, “In 1861, Stephen published only four songs with his old firm, Firth, Pond & Company: ‘Don’t Bet Your Money on de Shanghai,’ a pleasant return to his old-time rollicking minstrel style, ‘Molly Dear, Good Night,’ ‘Our Willie Dear is Dying,’ and ‘Farewell, Sweet Mother.’”

Molly Do You Love Me?

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1850

The 1850 Maryland copyright records give the dates as entry and deposit as May 16, 1850. The deposit copy in the Library of Congress is dated May 6, 1850.

Monongahela Sal

Artist (Composed By): 
Schmertz, Robert
1947

Robert Schmertz wrote “Monongahela Sal” in 1947 and first recorded it in 1949 at the studio of George Heid in Pittsburgh. It was a favorite of Pete Seeger.  

Mother, Thou’rt Faithful to Me

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1851

“Mother, Thou’rt Faithful to Me” was submitted for copyright deposit on March 18, 1851, by F. D. Benteen of Baltimore. 

According to Evelyn Foster Mornweck’s The Chronicles of Stephen Foster’s Family:

Mr. & Mrs. Brown

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1864

“Mr. & Mrs. Brown” was submitted for copyright deposit on January 23, 1864, by Horace Waters of New York. George Cooper authored the lyrics.

My Angel Boy

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1865

Wm. A. Pond & Co. deposited Stephen C. Foster’s “My Angel Boy” for copyright on January 31, 1865, a little more than one year after the composer’s death. The cover on the first edition indicates the song was “composed by the late Stephen C. Foster in 1858.” The lyrics were written by John Brougham, although early editions of the sheet music give his name as “H. Brougham.”

My Boy Is Coming from the War

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1863

There is no record of copyright entry or deposit for “My Boy Is Coming from the War,” but the copyright claim on the title page is for 1863. George Cooper authored the lyrics.

My Brodder Gum

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1849

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“My Brodder Gum” was submitted by Firth, Pond & Co. on October 1, 1949. While the title on page three read “My Brodder Gum” the title page read “My Brudder Gum.” In the text of the song both spelling are used and were probably both included in Foster’s original manuscript.

My Dream

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1893

For voice and piano. The manuscript, in Foerster’s hand, dated February 6, 1893.

My Hopes Have Departed Forever

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1851

“My Hopes Have Departed Forever” was entered for copyright deposit on August 4, 1851, by Firth, Pond & Co of New York. The text is a paraphrase of verses two through four of Percival’s “The Winds of the Winter Are Over.” The text also appeared under the same title in a sheet music edition issued by John Cole of Baltimore in 1822 or 1823. It is possible that Foster knew the song from childhood. 

The title page on some of the early published sources indicate it was “written and composed by a lady.”

My Loved One and My Own or Eva

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1858

Stephen Collins Foster’s “My Loved One and My Own” was deposited for copyright one November 24, 1858.

According to Evelyn Foster Mornweck’s The Chronicles of Stephen Foster’s Family:

My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night!

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1853

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!” was entered and deposited for copyright twice. One occurred on January 11, 1853, with no title page. The second occured on January 31, 1853.

“My Old Kentucky Home” was arranged for guitar and submitted for copyright deposit on August 23, 1853, also by Firth, Pond & Co.

My Son

Artist (Composed By): 
Pace, Charles H. (Henry)
1946

For solo voice and piano.

My Wife is a Most Knowing Woman

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1863

“My Wife is a Most Knowing Woman” was submitted for copyright deposit on November 20, 1863, by Horace Waters of New York. George Cooper authored the lyrics.