Love Songs

Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1855

“Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming” was submitted for copyright deposit on June 28, 1855, by Firth, Pond & Co.

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

Dear Friends Recordings Collection

From 1982 to 2000, the Dear Friends were an ensemble-in-residence at the University of Pittsburgh’s Stephen Foster Memorial devoted to performing nineteenth-century music from the United States.

Ethelbert Nevin Collection

Ethelbert Nevin (1862–1901) was a pianist and composer from Sewickley, Pa. He published his first composition at the age of twelve. In 1878, he attended Western University (now the University of Pittsburgh) but left at the end of his first year in 1879. In 1882 and 1883, he studied piano with B. J. Lang and composition with Stephen A. Emery in Boston. Then, from 1884 to 1886, he studied piano with Karl Klindworth and theory with Otto Tiersch in Berlin. He made his professional debut in a recital in Pittsburgh in December of 1886.

Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)

Date of Birth: 
July 4, 1826
Date of Death: 
January 13, 1864

Stephen Foster (b. July 4, 1826, Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania; d. January 13, 1864, New York) was one of the first American songwriters to earn a living through composition alone. Many of his songs, most of which were for the parlor or minstrel stage, achieved great popularity during his lifetime and continue to be popular today. His songs depicting African Americans, however, have been controversial since they were written.

I See Her Still in My Dreams

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1857

Firth, Pond & Co. deposited “I See Her Still in My Dreams” for copyright on June 8, 1857. 

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

In the Eye Abides the Heart

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

“In the Eye Abides the Heart” was submitted for copyright deposit on October 10, 1851, by Firth, Pond & Co. The original author of the lyrics is Franz von Kobell, whose words were translated into English by Foster. The melody is by Franz Abt and arrangement by Henry Kleber.

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.’”

Nelly Was a Lady

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

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

“Nelly was a Lady” was submitted for copyright deposit on July 18, 1849, by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York. A version of the song existed by December 5, 1848 when the title was entered for copyright in Pittsburgh. 

Stephen Foster Collection

Stephen C. (Collins) Foster (1826–1864) was born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh. He wrote songs in his youth to perform in amateur blackface minstrel shows and in parlors with his friends. After the immense success of “Oh! Susanna” and “Uncle Ned,” in 1849 Foster signed contracts with music publishers and embarked on a career as a songwriter.