Frederic Woodman Root (13 June 1846, Boston – 8 November 1916, Chicago) was an American composer, choir conductor, organist, adjudicator“The Hutchison Jubilee”. Salina Daily Republican-Journal Salina, Kansas, May 19, 1897 - Page 1 (adjudicates a contest - reported in several papers in several cities) (via Newspapers.com) and music teacher.“Notes and News”. Chicago Daily Tribune Chicago, Illinois Sunday, June 14, 1885 - Page 6 (report of Root demonstrating a method of teaching intonation to untrained adults) (via Newspapers.com)
Early life and education
Root was the son of George Frederick Root,“War Songs Inspire the People to Much Enthusiasm”. The Inter Ocean Chicago, Illinois Monday, July 6, 1896 - Page 7 (conducts a choir of 1200) (via Newspapers.com) who was known for composing Civil War songs,"Our Birthdays". The Inter Ocean, Chicago, Illinois. June 13, 1913, Page 6. (via Newspapers.com) and the brother of the composer Grace W. Root. He studied music under BC Blodgett, William Mason, James Flint and Robert Goldbeck, and studied singing in New York City with Carlo Bassini and Luigi Vannuccini from Florence. From 1869 to 1870 he undertook a study tour of Europe.
Career Root composed songs, cantatas, an operetta,"Vocal Music for Concert Performance". Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, ca. 1870-1885, Library of Congress website, USA. and other works, including many for use in singing and piano lessons. He wrote articles and essays for a number of music related publications. Root was the editor of the periodical Song Messenger for several years.
Root became a singing teacher,"August Marginer". Northern Echo, Durham, England, 11 August 1894, p. 4 (small report of an article in the Musical Herald; editor says his views on voice training are worth studying) (via British Newspaper Archive - subscription required) and published several textbooks for singing lessons, including The Pacific Glee Book with James R. Murray, The School of Singing, and Root's New Course in Voice Culture and Singing.
Root gave lectures to promote his teaching methods and opinions about music in general.“A Rainmaker to be Depended Upon”. Southwest Sentinel Silver City, New Mexico Tuesday, February 7, 1893 - Page 1 (a humorous piece about his lecture tour, which seemed to attract bad weather) (via Newspapers.com) In one of his speeches he characterized African American gospel songs as "developed from the formless and untutored sounds of savage people... being hardly developed to the point at which they might be called music".
References
External links PD Music: The Music of Frederic Woodman Root (Short biography, works and writings) Virtual American Biographies - George Frederick Root Frederic Woodman Root at WorldCat