And the Band Played On:
Hypotheses Concerning What Music Was
Performed Near the Climax of the Titanic Disaster
This study, in revised format for online publication, is a paper
presented at the October, 1999, meeting
of the Southwest Regional
Chapter of the American
Musicological Society, Rice University, Houston
by
J. Marshall Bevil, Ph.D.
NOTE: As of 30 December,
2004, when the this paper was posted to the Internet, explanatory documentation
regarding the computer-supported comparative
analysis used in this study was not available online. Availability of that
material is projected for the spring of 2005. Beginning 1 June, 2005,
please
e-mail me if supportive
material appears to be missing. Defective MIDI (sound) links have been
corrected.
Please let me know at once if there are problems with any other
links. -- JMB
Introduction
The contention that the twentieth century really began in 1912 is not without
merit. Rarely have there been concentrated within one year so many events
signaling sweeping and permanent change. That year witnessed the rapid
escalation of tensions that led to the outbreak of World War I only two years
thereafter. The final curtain on both laissez-faire capitalism and
government countenanced social Darwinism, the laying of the groundwork for the
New Deal, and even the anticipation of the mid- and post mid-century civil
rights movements were signaled by the tenor of the 1912 American presidential
campaign. Finally, the assumption by Western society of humanity’s ultimate
dominance over nature through technological accomplishment received its first
major refutation in the loss of the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic and over
1,500 lives in the early hours of
It was inevitable that an event so
patently significant as the sinking of the Titanic would give rise to
many fanciful tales, half-truths, and inadvertent errors along with accurate
accounts. Hence much of what was told must be viewed with a measure of
skepticism, yet at the same time not necessarily dismissed out of hand, until
all relevant data have received careful consideration.
Views
Concerning Music That Was Played
One of the earliest reports to become legend was that of the ship’s string
ensemble playing “Nearer, My God, to Thee” shortly before the vessel sank. That
account was no sooner in the news than the New York Times published an
interview with Harold Bride, the ship’s junior wireless operator. In describing
his final minutes onboard, Bride declared that the musicians were playing a
piece called “Autumn” as he left the wireless shack and sought safety in one of
the last available lifeboats. Bride further reported that the performers
continued playing “Autumn” after he had abandoned ship. The Times
assumed that Bride was referring to François Barthélémon’s
hymn tune “Autumn,” the melody of which is shown immediately below, with a link
( ** ) to a MIDI file containing a harmonized arrangement
for string ensemble.
"Autumn" ** <=== MIDI
link (harmonized
arrangement for string ensemble)
There soon emerged two schools of thought concerning what music was played near
the end. The larger one was comprised of those attracted to the idea of
“Nearer, My God to Thee,” and it drew much of its sustenance from the enormous
amount of sensationalist news reporting. The smaller and more staid faction,
exemplified by an unsigned Times article of 21 April, subscribed to the
view that the final work was “Autumn,” which has been a setting of several
different hymns but never “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” The Times article
stated that Bride’s job was testimony to his accurate perception and memory of
small details and thus concluded that some of the other survivors who reported
having heard “Nearer, My God to Thee” were mistaken. Interestingly, another
unsigned article on the same page of the Times reported the widespread
view in
While the majority of
subsequent written accounts have declared the final piece to have been “Nearer,
My God to Thee,” a few, most notably Walter Lord’s 1955 book, A Night to
Remember, have given the nod to “Autumn.” Most recent studies either have
avoided the issue altogether or have advanced the hypothesis of there having
been no hymn settings played. The same long-standing dichotomy has been
preserved in the many movies addressing the disaster. Most of them, including
the 1997 box office hit, have shown the musicians playing “Nearer, My God, to
Thee,” and one mid-century treatment featured, in its final scene, the singing
of the hymn by a large chorus of those left on board. At least one cinematic
treatment of the event has allied itself with the Times-Lord faction in
letting “Autumn” provide the final strains.
Initial
Assessment of Data
Multiple Settings of “Nearer, My God, to Thee”
The matter of what
was played goes far beyond the question of two hymns. First, in his 1986 book The
Night Lives On, Lord drew on earlier accounts of the event in reporting
that both American and British witnesses claimed to have heard a setting of
“Nearer, My God, to Thee.” That, however, poses the question of which setting
was heard. Sarah Flower Adams’s text was commonly sung to four different hymn
tunes in 1912. As Lord pointed out, it is highly unlikely that multiple
settings were played onboard the Titanic. The one that was most familiar
to a majority of U.S. Americans and many Canadians, but far less well known by
most British, was, and still is, Lowell Mason’s “
Two other settings -- “Horbury,” by John Dykes, and “Propior
Deo,” by Sir Arthur Sullivan -- were associated
mainly with the Anglican and British Methodist traditions, respectively, but
they were not familiar to most Americans. More obscure is “
"Bethany"
**
"Horbury" **
"Propior Deo" **
"Liverpool" **
Meaning of Autumn
A second problem concerns what Harold Bride meant by his reference to “Autumn.”
While Lord followed the lead of the Times in A Night to Remember
and wrote that the ensemble played the hymn tune of that name, he recanted his
statement thirty-one years later, in The Night Lives On, and declared
that what Bride probably heard was “Songe d’Automne” (see structural schematic and notation of
principal thematic material, below), which was written in 1908 by
Archibald Joyce, an English composer of popular music. The hymn tune “Autumn”
did not enjoy widespread popularity in
Structural schematic, "Songe
d'automne" (not proportional to numbers of measures; see thematic
material, below):
||: A
:||:
B
:|| A
||:
C :||
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\--> || A
|
INTRODUCTION
CODA ||
|<--------------------
WALTZ ---------------------> |
<------ TRIO ------> |
Retransition |
WALTZ |
Key: ......................... | c minor (tonic)
| A-Flat Major (flat-sixth)|
........................| c-minor
(tonic
reaffirmation)
( c: V-i )
( c: V-i )
Principal thematic material, “Songe d’automne” (see "Joyce, Archibald," in
"References," below; also schematic, above):
The waltz was not well known
in the
Further
Assessment of Data
The Musicians
Perhaps the first
step in attempting to untangle this web of reports and opinions should be the
taking of a look at the Titanic’s musicians.
The eight players normally were divided into two groups. The smaller of those,
a trio, played most often in the à la carte reception
room. The remaining five played in various locations, most often either in the
first-class lounge or near the first-class entrance to the boat deck. At times
the groups would break up and move, individually or in pairs, from room to room
or table to table. On those occasions they could augment their pay with tips,
but they were expected to do so discretely. The earning of tips depended
greatly on the musicians’ abilities to play requests that might or might not be
for items in the standard 352-piece repertory that had to be completely memorized.
Apart from being standouts at the request and improvisation games, the players
were expected to blend as inconspicuously as possible into whatever situations
in which they found themselves and provide background music for conversation,
dining, card-playing, and other social activities.
Bandmaster Wallace Henry (“Wally”) Hartley
had been a choirboy in the
Not long after Hartley’s
death, his personal friend and fellow musician, Elwane
Moody, described a conversation in which Hartley purportedly said that, in the
event of a calamity at sea, he and his colleagues would do all they could to
keep the passengers calm by playing cheerful popular music but that, if the
foundering of the vessel and great loss of life, including possibly his own,
seemed imminent, he probably would play “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”
A
number of conclusions seem defensible in light of what is known about the
musicians. Perhaps the most important one is that they would have been guided
by their individual and collective sensitivities to the exigencies of the
situation and therefore would have been reluctant to risk causing undue concern
and possibly alarm by playing hymn tunes during most of the time in question.
However, it also seems likely that the same sensitivity might have dictated a
shift to music of an altogether different character once the fate of the hundreds
left on board with no means of escape became obvious. At that point Hartley
probably would have acted on his previously expressed sentiments. Further, the
setting of “Nearer, My God to Thee” would have been one that he and probably at
least one or two of the other musicians could have played with no written
music. The most likely candidate from among the settings would be “Propior Deo.” Hartley’s family
felt so strongly that such was what he and his colleagues played that they had
the opening bars of that setting inscribed on his tombstone.
Regarding who may have
joined Hartley in such a finale, cellist John Wesley Woodward is the most
likely. Woodward, like Hartley, was a Methodist and thus had known “Propior Deo” most of his life.
Others, who may have been less familiar with it, would have had little trouble
utilizing their improvisational skills to join in.
The Accounts
The
second object of attention is the body of eyewitness accounts. The most
frequently quoted report of “Nearer, My God to Thee” is that given by Ms. Vera
Dick, of
A lesser known report of
the playing of “Nearer, My God, to Thee” is that of Marjorie Collyer, of
Without citing names,
Lord reported additional accounts, by both British and North American
survivors, of the playing of a setting of “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”
The best known, and one
of the most outspoken, of those who maintained that no hymn settings were
played was Colonel Archibald Gracie, who narrowly escaped with his life after
being pulled under the surface by the sinking liner. Gracie’s experience was so
traumatic that he never recovered from his ordeal, and he died less than eight
months later. Hence there probably were some events that he either did not note
or did not remember, and therefore his pointed insistence on there having been
no hymn tunes played near the end should be viewed cautiously.
The only extant account
mentioning the playing of a work titled “Autumn” shortly before the ship’s
sinking is that provided by Harold Bride. Even though it is not specifically
corroborated by other reports, it warrants serious consideration due not only
to Bride’s job-related ability to note and remember details but also to his
having been close to the performers at one point. Bride heard the musicians,
who by then were on the boat deck, near the entrance to the grand staircase,
start playing “Autumn” as he left the wireless shack on the port side of the
ship, made his way toward the bridge, and joined a group of men, including
Second Officer Charles Lightoller, who were launching
the Engelhardt collapsible lifeboat “B” next to the
officers’ quarters. Shortly afterward, Bride was swept off the deck, along with
the boat and the other men, as the forward portion of the ship’s superstructure
submerged. He heard the musicians still playing “Autumn” as he was emerging
from under the capsized lifeboat and others were climbing onto it. Within
moments, according to Lightoller, the forward funnel
fell, creating a wave
that propelled the lifeboat and its passengers away from the wreck.
A report that, as far as
it goes, supports the thesis that “Autumn” was the waltz and not the hymn tune
is the account of Algernon Barkworth. He said that,
as the ship’s settling by the head made its ultimate demise obvious, he left
his spot on the boat deck and returned to his cabin on A-deck to retrieve some
personal items. At that point, he heard the musicians playing a waltz. Shortly
afterward, he returned to the boat deck and noted that the musicians had quit
playing. He then stepped off the deck that by then had partially submerged and,
buoyed by his coat and lifebelt, made his way toward Collapsible B. The
sequence and timing of events reported by Bride, Lightoller,
Gracie, and Barkworth suggest that the washing
overboard of Collapsible B and the men who were trying to launch her, and also
the toppling of the forward funnel, occurred while Barkworth
was below deck. That in turn would have placed Collapsible B in the water with
her human cargo when Barkworth quit the ship and
Gracie was clinging to a rail near the base of the second funnel. The
musicians, meanwhile, almost certainly were seeking temporary safety in the
direction of the stern. The chart below relates the events described.
Reconstruction of Events, about 0210-0216 Hours
APPROXIMATE TIME
EVENTS
2:10
AM
Last wireless message sent. Bride prevents crew member from stealing lifebelt
of Jack Phillips, senior wireless operator.
Bride leaves wireless shack as musicians start playing what he later termed
"Autumn." Ship's bow, well deck, and
forward portion of main deck are submerged.
2:11
AM
Bride joins others attempting to launch Collapsible B.
2:12
AM
Ship begins settling by the head. Barkworth heads below to retrieve personal
items. Bride and others struggle with Collapsible B,
which has overturned on deck.
2:14
AM
Bridge and forward portion of boat deck submerge suddenly as ship slides
forward and downward into water. Collapsible B is
washed overboard with Bride clinging to an oarlock. Gracie jumps with
wave, grasps iron railing near base of second
funnel. Lightoller is forced into opening of airshaft, then is blown free by
pressure from below. Bride swims from under
Collapsible B, which is overturned in the water.
2:15
AM
Bride and others in water climb onto Collapsible B as ship continues settling
rapidly by the head.
2:16
AM
Cables supporting forward funnel snap under strain, allowing funnel to fall.
Numerous persons in water, including John Jacob Astor,
are crushed under it. Wave created by falling funnel washes Collapsible B a
short distance away. Musicians stop playing and
move to temporary safety. Barkworth returns from below with coat and briefcase,
abandons ship, and makes his way to
Collapsible B.
All things considered, it seems likely that Bride, in alluding to “Autumn,” was
referring to the waltz rather than the hymn tune. It is true that most persons
do not designate hymn tunes by their titles. More significant, however, is the
evident lack of the hymn tune’s widespread familiarity or popularity in
What seems the near
certainty of Bride’s having referred to “Songe d’Automne” does not necessarily preclude the playing of a
setting of “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” According to both eyewitness accounts and
reconstructions of the wreck by Robert Ballard and others, things moved very
swiftly once the upper deck began going under and Collapsible B was swept away
at around
The noise of every loose item on board crashing forward as the stern rose the
first time, followed shortly afterward by the horrifying sights and sounds of
the hull splitting, the forward portion sinking, and the stern plunging back
downward, pivoting, and starting to rise again would have left no doubt of what
was in store for those still on board and would have rendered pointless, if not
grotesque, any effort by the musicians to play anything but a somber hymn. The
period of a minute, or perhaps slightly longer, after the hull split would have
given the musicians both the time and the conditions for playing a setting of
“Nearer, My God, to Thee” one or possibly two times before playing became
impossible and the need for the musicians to attempt to save themselves became
paramount. The playing would have started as Lifeboat No. 14, containing
Marjorie Collyer, began moving farther off the port
beam as the ship’s pivoting and rising began. By that time, Bride and the
others near Collapsible B were preoccupied with situating themselves on the
craft and, according to Barkworth, arguing among
themselves over the danger of overloading it. Hence it is not very likely that
they would have noted any music that was being played. Meanwhile, Archibald
Gracie was struggling for his life, both underwater and on the surface, in a
state of terror and near insensibility. As the pivoting continued, the port
side of the stern turned toward Vera Dick’s Lifeboat No. 3, which had been
lowered off the starboard side, thus enabling her to hear, albeit probably
faintly, at least the latter portion of “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” The chart
below describes the final events of the disaster.
Reconstruction of Events, about 0217-0220 Hours
APPROXIMATE TIME EVENTS
2:17
AM
Barkworth reaches Collapsible B and argues with those who tell him to stay off
it lest he sink it. Stern of ship continues to rise until hull
splits under strain. Forward two-thirds (approximately) of hull breaks free and
begins downward plunge, carrying Gracie and others with it.
Rear third of hull falls back briefly, causing some in lifeboats to
conclude that vessel has "righted herself." That section, however,
immediately begins flooding.
2:18
AM
Gracie kicks away from sinking forward portion of hull and begins rising to
surface. Stern begins pivoting around and rising. Closest lifeboats
move away as quickly as possible in anticipation of suction caused by sinking.
Musicians have time time to play one or two stanzas of
"Nearer, My God, to Thee" before angle of deck becomes too steep.
2:19
AM
Barkworth gets atop Collapsible B. With "a frightful lurch" that
throws persons off the fantail (about 100 feet above the water), stern assumes
nearly vertical position. Lights go out for final time. Gracie regains surface
in a dazed state.
2:20
AM
Stern sinks, carrying a relatively small number of persons below but leaving
hundreds on the surface in 27oF water.
shortly after
2:20 AM
Gracie grasps piece of floating wreckage and notes ship's
absence.
The Music
The Analytical
Procedure. The third effort at answering the question of what may have
been, and what probably was not, played involves the comparative analysis of
the pieces in question. The computer-assisted
analytical system, which I developed in connection with my dissertation on
oral-aural melodic transmission, takes into account both the opening and
closing motifs of the periods and overall melodic contour at three levels of
density and detail. The motifs, known in the present system as primary cells,
have both intervallic and rhythmic characteristics that, in combination,
provide both a rough, abbreviated definition of the melody and the principal
mnemonic anchors. Also useful, although less so than primary cells, in
determining rough melodic definition are the secondary cells, or the
last three different pitches of the first and third phrases and the first three
different pitches of the second and fourth phrases in a dual-period,
four-phrase melody. Identities of individual tunes and similarities and
differences between melodies are both determined and defined in more thorough
and precise detail by overall contours whose three structural-perceptual levels
are termed the elemental, the broadly-detailed, and the specifically-detailed.
The melodies of “Autumn” and the four settings of “Nearer, My God, to Thee,”
with their notated primary cell and contour matrices, are given immediately
below. The primary cell matrices, which are integral parts of the contour
matrices, are marked with horizontal square brackets, while the paired
secondary cells are enclosed in vertical square brackets. Separate pages at
this web site (projected availability: spring, 2005) will provide
details concerning both the constituencies of the
contours, including the primary and secondary cells, and the numerical codes to
which the various pitch, durational, and stress factors are converted to form the
textfiles used in the computer-assisted phases of melodic comparisons.
Melody and contour reductions, "Autumn"
Melody and contour reductions, "Bethany"
Melody and contour
reductions, "Horbury"
Melody and contour reductions, "Propior Deo"
Melody and contour reductions, "Liverpool"
The Analyses. Comparisons of the melodies of “Autumn” and “Bethany”
and “Autumn” and “Propior Deo”
produce some interesting results. As shown in the tables and contour graphs
below, there is noticeable similarity between “Autumn” and each of the other
two tunes around the openings of the second periods, and there are some
similarities between the initial phrases of the melodies (see especially
contour graphs, "S," or specific details, level). One might surmise
from those findings that a wrong conclusion was reached by witnesses who heard
only the opening of either the first or the second period of the hymn tune
“Autumn” over the large amount of noise and, in at least some cases, at a
considerable distance. The making of that error becomes even more believable in
light of both the way in which a passing perception can be clouded by stress of
the moment and the way in which memory can be skewed by post-traumatic shock.
Therefore the case against the hymn tune “Autumn” is not completely solid.
However, the degrees of similarity between “Autumn” and the two settings of
“Nearer, My God, to Thee” drop off quickly when attention is given to other
corresponding areas. The low overall contour concordances - under columns
labeled EE (elemental), BB (broad details), SS (specific
details), and AVERAGE -- and printed in green in the table, and also the
graphic representations of contour disparities, are especially significant.
Also, the primary cell full-composite, or simultaneously occurring,
concordances of pitch, duration, and stress factors, labeled PDS and printed in
red, is zero in both cases. Hence there can be made no case for there being any
substantial kinship between “Autumn” and either of the other two tunes, and
confusion on the parts of survivors would have entailed the making, by multiple
auditors, of identical, or at least closely related, errors due to spotty
hearing, stress of the moment, delayed shock, or any combination of those
factors.
Further, the
reports by both British and North American witnesses very likely would have
been based on the confusion of “Autumn” with not one but at least two other
hymn settings. It is rather difficult to postulate the making of parallel
errors by multiple witnesses, some of whom mistook “Autumn” for one other hymn
tune and some of whom thought it was still another. That, in conjunction with
the matters pertaining to the way in which most persons designate hymn
settings, the time spent by Bride in getting away from the Titanic, and
the limited possibility of his knowledge of the sacred piece, largely rules out
the likelihood of his having heard and cited by its title a hymn tune that was
mistaken by others for a setting of “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”
Table / Graphs of
Primary Cell and Contour Concordances, [1] "Autumn" (test) to
"Bethany" (first control) and [2] "Autumn" to
"Propior Deo" (second control) Click
** to
review primary cell / contour definitions.
NOTES: (1) Numbers 1, 2, and 3 represent
individual events within each cell. Each X or # represents a concordance
of corresponding individual events.
(2)
Combined pitch-duration (PD), pitch-stress (PS), duration-stress (DS),
and pitch-duration-stress (PDS) concordances are
color-coded to match column-headers
and figures under "COMPOSITE," in "STATISTICAL SUMMARIES,"
below.
(3)
Primary-cell PITCH, DURATION, and STRESS row
labels are color-coded to the P, D, and S column-headers
under the individual-factors grouping labeled
"SINGLE," in "STATISTICAL SUMMARIES."
(4)
Color-coding of individual factors is used in this set of results only, but
combined primary-cell factors are coded throughout this study.
(5)
On-level contour concordance percentages are printed in green throughout this
study, while off-level values appear in black. Skeletal and
ornamental melodic kinships are not an issue in this investigation. Hence
off-level contour concordance figures, although they were generated
by the comparisons, are superfluous.
PRIMARY CELLS:
CONCORDANCE
SCHEMATIC - "Autumn" / "Bethany" (Comparison No. 1 -
Row 1, "Statistical Summaries," below)
FIRST PERIOD
(A-SECTION)
SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION)
CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
X: direct #: indirect
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X .................................... X
........................................... X ................................ X ..................
Direct Concordance, Pitch
# .................................................................................
# ......... ..................
Indirect Concordance, Pitch: 1-2 Cross-Concordance (12XC)
( NONE ) .................. Indirect
Concordance, Pitch: 2-1 Cross-Concordance (21XC)
( NONE ) .................. Double-Cross
Concordance (3=3, 1=2, 2=1) - DXC
-- # -- ..........................................................................................................................................
3-1 Pitch Resequencing (2=2)
( NONE ) .................. 3-2 Pitch
Resequencing
(1=1)
( NONE ) .................. Direct Concordance, Duration
X ............................................................................... X
................. Direct Concordance, Stress
CONCORDANCE
SCHEMATIC - "Autumn" / "Propior Deo" (Comparison No.
2)
FIRST PERIOD
(A-SECTION)
SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION)
CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Review
explanation if necessary.
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X
X
X
X X
X ..................
Direct Concordance, Pitch
#
# .................. 1-2 XC
.................. 2-1 XC
.................. DXC
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2
Resequencing
.................. Duration
X
X .................
Stress
CONTOUR GRAPHS:
K E Y (all graphs in study)
Colored Markings: Red - pitch duplication (figures or larger units;
single notes excluded)
Blue -
contour similarity (simultaneous, anticipatory, or successive)
Large Letters under Graphs: E - elemental level B - broad details S - specific details
Graph Lines: Solid, Darker - control contour
Segmented,
Lighter - test contour
→ Index numbers above graphs
correspond to comparison numbers within series.
1 2
first period of melody second period of melody first period of melody second period of melody
STATISTICAL SUMMARIES:
PRIMARY CELL CONCORDANCE
PERCENTAGES
COMPARISON CONTOUR
CONCORDANCE PERCENTAGES
( P = pitch D = duration S = stress )
Review
explanation if necessary.
SINGLE
COMPOSITE
MATCHING-LEVEL
OFF-LEVEL (TEST/CONTROL)
P
D S
PD PS DS
PDS
EE
BB SS
AVERAGE
BE SE
BS SB
44 0 17
0
17 0
0
1
31
18
22
24
13
25
11 7
58 0 17
0 17 0
0
2
31
13
46
30
13
6
20 10
CONCLUSIONS:
"Autumn" to "Bethany" (1) - Common use of distinctive figures
may contribute to perception of resemblance.
Relationship is otherwise questionable.
"Autumn" to "Propior Deo" (2) - Common use of
distinctive figures may contribute to perception of resemblance.
Even more remote, it
seems, is the possibility of witnesses other than Bride mistaking “Songe d’Automne” for a setting of
“Nearer, My God, to Thee.” The minor tonality of the waltz is the principal
precluding factor. Further, the waltz is considerably longer than any of the
hymn settings, and it has a middle section in a contrasting key. Finally, there
is no significant melodic or harmonic resemblance between any part of the waltz
and any of the sacred pieces.
It already has been established that there
is much to suggest that a setting of “Nearer, My God, to Thee” was played,
probably shortly after “Songe d’Automne.”
There remains, however, the aforementioned question of which setting. First, it
would have been one that could have been played from memory. Second, it would
have been recognizable for what it was by British survivors and readily
mistakable for “
Due to its narrow denominational and geographic associations, its prevailingly
minor tonality, and its lack of significant primary-cell pitch or contour
resemblance to any of the other three settings of “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” as
shown, “Liverpool” can be dismissed from further consideration.
Table / Graphs of
Primary Cell and Contour Concordances, "Liverpool" (test) to controls
[1] "Bethany," [2] "Propior Deo,"
and [3]
"Horbury" Click
** to
review primary cell / contour definitions.
PRIMARY CELLS:
NOTE:
Simultaneous, or full-composite, concordances of pitch, duration, and stress
(color-coded in red) are signaled with large, red exclamation
marks ( ! ) under the appropriate columns. The matching column of red
figures in "Statistical Summaries" is labeled PDS.
1 ("Liverpool" to "Bethany"):
FIRST PERIOD
(A-SECTION)
SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION)
CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X
. .................. Direct
Concordance, Pitch
.................. 1-2 Cross-Concordance
.................. 2-1 Cross-Concordance
.................. Double-Cross Concordance
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2
Resequencing
x X X X X X X X X X . .................. Duration
x
X X
X X
X X X X X X
................... Stress
!
2 ("Liverpool" to "Propior Deo"):
FIRST PERIOD
(A-SECTION)
SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION)
CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Review
explanation if necessary.
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X
. .................. Direct
Concordance, Pitch
.................. 1-2 Cross-Concordance
.................. 2-1 Cross-Concordance
.................. Double-Cross Concordance
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2
Resequencing
x X X X X X X X X X . .................. Duration
x
X X
X X
X X X X X X
...................
Stress
!
.
3 ("Liverpool" to "Horbury"):
FIRST PERIOD
(A-SECTION)
SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION)
CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Review
explanation if necessary.
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
. .................. Direct
Concordance, Pitch
.................. 1-2 Cross-Concordance
.................. 2-1 Cross-Concordance
.................. Double-Cross Concordance
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2 Resequencing
X X X X X X .................. Duration
X
X
X X
X X .................
Stress
CONTOUR GRAPHS:
1 2 3
STATISTICAL SUMMARIES, "Liverpool" to (1) "Bethany," (2) "Propior Deo," and (3) "Horbury":
PRIMARY CELL CONCORDANCE
PERCENTAGES
COMPARISON CONTOUR
CONCORDANCE PERCENTAGES
( P =
pitch D = duration S = stress )
Review explanation
if necessary.
SINGLE
COMPOSITE*
MATCHING-LEVEL
OFF-LEVEL (TEST/CONTROL)
P D S
PD PS DS
PDS
EE
BB SS
AVERAGE
BE SE
BS SB
8 83 100
8
8 83
8
1
6 10
11
9
13
19
7 10
8 83 100
8 8 83
8
2
19
13
13
15
13
13
10 13
0 50
50 0
0 25
0
3
0
0
0
0
7
0
0 8
*Two-part composite percentages
include incidents that are part of the full pitch-duration-stress (PDS)
composite. For example, there are nine incidents of duration-stress
(DS) concordance in Comparison 1 ("Liverpool" to
"Bethany" ). These, each marked X in the concordance table, together yield a
concordance percentage of 75. That value
is combined with an additional 8% DS concordance as part of the
PDS concordance at the first position of the mediant cadence and flagged ! under the first-position of the
mediant-cadence column, producing a DS concordance of 83%. In
addition, the 8% pitch-duration (PD) and pitch-stress (PS) composites are
each part of the single incident
(out of a possible twelve in each case, hence 8%) of PDS
concordance. Therefore there are no color-coded X-markings for those
dual-factor concordances, although their 8%
figures are shown in "Statistical Summaries," in their
appropriate colors.
CONCLUSIONS:
"Liverpool" to "Bethany" (1) - There is a high
primary-cellular rhythmic concordance (DS = 83%). Relationship is otherwise
questionable
due to low pitch concordance.
"Liverpool" to "Propior
Deo" (2) - There
is a high primary-cellular rhythmic concordance (DS = 83%). Relationship is
otherwise questionable
due to low pitch concordance.
"Liverpool" to "Horbury"
(3) - Confusion
of either for the other is highly unlikely to impossible due to extremely low
pitch concordance and
no striking, significant, or pervasive similarity of contour patterns ( review
graphs).
Comparative analyses,
first of “Horbury” (test) to "Bethany" and
"Propior Deo" (controls, Comparisons 1 and 2, below), then of
"Bethany" (test) to "Propior Deo" (control Comparison 3),
shows that there is marked disparity between "Horbury" and both of
the other hymn tunes but much less difference between “Bethany” and “Propior Deo." There are not
only striking similarities between "Bethany" and "Propior
Deo" within the primary cells (schematic and primary cell statistics,
Comparison 3) but also a significant number of overall contour correspondences
at the elemental, broad-detail, and specific-detail levels (contour graphs and
statistics, Comparison 3).
Table / Graphs of Primary Cell and Contour Concordances, "Horbury"
(test) to controls [1] "Bethany" and [2] "Propior Deo," and
[3] "Bethany" (test) to "Propior Deo"
(control) Click ** to
review primary cell / contour definitions.
PRIMARY CELLS:
1 ("Horbury" to "Bethany"):
FIRST PERIOD (A-SECTION) SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION) CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X
X
X X .................. Direct
Concordance, Pitch
.................. 1-2 Cross-Concordance
.................. 2-1 Cross-Concordance
.................. Double-Cross Concordance
-- # -- ....................................................................................................................
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2
Resequencing
X X X X X X .................. Duration
X
X X
X
X X ................. Stress
!
2 ("Horbury" to "Propior Deo"):
FIRST PERIOD
(A-SECTION)
SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION)
CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Review
explanation if necessary.
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X X X X
.................. Direct Concordance, Pitch
.................. 1-2 Cross-Concordance
.................. 2-1 Cross-Concordance
.................. Double-Cross Concordance
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2 Resequencing
X X X X X X .................. Duration
X
X
X
X
X X
................. Stress
!
!
3 ("Bethany" to "Propior Deo"):
FIRST PERIOD (A-SECTION) SECOND PERIOD (B-SECTION) CLASS OF CONCORDANCE
Incipit
Mediant Cadence
Opening
Final Cadence
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2
3
1 2 3
X
X
X X
X
X
X X X ..................
Direct Concordance, Pitch
.................. 1-2 Cross-Concordance
.................. 2-1 Cross-Concordance
.................. Double-Cross Concordance
.................. 3-1 Resequencing
.................. 3-2
Resequencing
X X X X X X X X X X X X .................. Duration
X
X X X
X X
X X X
X X X
................. Stress
!
!
! ! !
!
! ! !
CONTOUR GRAPHS:
1 2 3
STATISTICAL SUMMARIES,
"Horbury" to (1) "Bethany" and (2)
"Propior Deo"; and
(3) "Bethany" to "Propior Deo":
PRIMARY CELL CONCORDANCE
PERCENTAGES
COMPARISON CONTOUR
CONCORDANCE PERCENTAGES
P = pitch D = duration S = stress
Review
explanation if necessary.
Review
explanation if necessary.
SINGLE
COMPOSITE*
MATCHING-LEVEL
OFF-LEVEL (TEST/CONTROL)
P D S
PD PS DS
PDS
EE
BB SS
AVERAGE
BE SE
BS SB
35 50 50
17
25 25
8
1
31 18
11
20
13
6
11 11
33 50
50
25 25 25
17
2 13 23
31
19
6
6
10 13
75 100
100
75
75 100 75
3 50 47 44
47
13
13 10
10
CONCLUSIONS:
1 ("Horbury" to
"Bethany") - Common use of figures may contribute to perception of resemblance.
Relationship is otherwise questionable.
2 ("Horbury" to "Propior Deo") - 17% PDS, with other factors =
tenuous relationship by primary cells.
Common use of distinctive figures may contribute to perception of resemblance.
Beyond these marginal similarities, relationship is questionable.
3 ("Bethany" to "Propior Deo") - CLOSE RELATIONSHIP (75% primary-cell composite with 47% on-level contour concordance average)
The
assessment of close relationship between "Bethany" and "Propior
Deo" stems from a high (75%) primary cell composite concordance in
combination with fairly high concordances at each of the three contour levels
(EE: 50%, BB: 47%, SS: 44%, average: 47%; see also graphs). Listening to the two
melodies simultaneously reveals that, even at the surface level, the
similarities both outnumber and outweigh the differences, most of which are
concentrated in the third phrase. That is the normal point of greatest
disparity between related dual-strain, four-phrase tunes within oral
traditions. Therefore it stands to reason that the third phrase would be the
point at which differences would be least likely to be noted by those listening
to two similar written melodies.
Thus it seems that “Propior Deo” could have been
played, recognized by British and perhaps some Canadian survivors, and mistaken
for “
Conclusions
In sum, it appears
1) that “Songe d’Automne”
was heard by Harold Bride as he was abandoning ship; 2) that, shortly
afterward, there was more than ample reason, adequate improvisational ability
on the part of the musicians, and sufficient, although barely sufficient, time
for at least some of them to regroup and play the “Propior
Deo” setting of “Nearer, My God, to Thee”; and 3)
that “Propior Deo,” if
played, was mistaken by some for “Bethany,” to which it bears more than enough
similarity to account for that error under the conditions that existed both at
the time and in the aftermath of the event.
Can, or will, we ever be
certain? The question, of course, is rhetorical. In the words of another
beloved hymn, “Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all its sons away,” and
survivors with memories of the calamity are no longer with us. Perhaps more to
the point, the only fully reliable witnesses stood to their posts, discharged
their duties, then lost their lives in the icy waters of the
References
NOTE: The Internet links
given below, both in this list and in the following acknowledgements, were
accurate and working at the time they were posted. However, like many other
links, those given here can become dated at any time after their posting. Every
reasonable effort will be made to deactivate them from time to time, but the
works will remain listed because of having been used during research for this
study.
Anonymous. "The Grave of Wallace Hartley"
__________. "Ship's
Band Chose Fitting Hymn,"
Ballard, Robert D. The Discovery of the Titanic (Toronto: Madison Press Books, 1987).
__________. "A Long Last Look at Titanic," National Geographic 170/6 (December, 1986), 698-727.
Beasley, Lawrence. The Loss of the S.S. Titanic (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1912).
Behe, George. "The Music of the Titanic's Band," at http://ourworld.compuserv.com/homepages/ Carpathia/page3.html.
Bride, Harold (interview).
"The Thrilling Tale by Titanic's
Surviving Wireless Man," New York Times (
Collier, Marjorie
(interview). "Wreck of the Titanic / Little Girl's Account,"
Leatherhead (
Dykes, John Bacchus. "Horbury," Congregational Hymnary (London: Independent Press, Ltd., 1980), 517.
Gracie, Colonel Archibald. The Truth about the Titanic, (New York: Mitchell Kinnerly, 1913), reproduced in The Story of the Titanic as Told by Its Survivors, ed. Jack Wincour (New York: Dover Publications, 1960), 111-269.
Hind, Philip. "Algernon H. Wilson Barkworth," from Philip Hind, ed., Encyclopedia Titanica (1998). ONLINE INDEX
__________. "Boat Deck," from Philip Hind, ed., Encyclopedia Titanica (1998). ONLINE INDEX
__________. "The Musicians," from Philip Hind, ed., Encyclopedia Titanica (1998). ONLINE INDEX
Joyce, Archibald. "Songe d'Automne," on compact disc recording, Titanic / Music as Heard on the Fateful Voyage; arranged, conducted, and produced by Ian Whitcomb (Los Angeles: Rhino Entertainment, 1987), track 23; transcription of melodic segments by J. Marshall Bevil.
Kerr, Jessica M. "A Hymn to Remember / a Hymnologist Looks Back to the Story of the Titanic," The Hymn 27 (January, 1976), 11-15.
Lightoller, Commander Charles. Titanic and Other Ships (London: Ivor, Nicholson, and Watson, 1935), reproduced in The Story of the Titanic as Told by Its Survivors, ed. Jack Wincour (New York: Dover Publications, 1960).
Lord, Walter. A Night to Remember (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1955).
__________. The Night Lives On (New York: William Morrow and Company, 1986).
Mason, Lowell. "
Mobray, Jay Henry, complier / editor. The Sinking of the Titanic (Harrisburg, PA: Minter Company, 1912).
Roberts, John (Ieuan Gwyllt). "
Sullivan,
Sir Arthur Seymour. "Propior Deo,"
The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
Acknowledgments
The author would like to offer his
thanks to the websites, listed below, that have utilized and/or indexed this
article, its abstract, or both. There may be others of which he is unaware, and
any / all omissions are unintentional. Those sites, and new ones as they
appear, will be listed in this subsection as the author learns of them. See, or review, the
note concerning Internet links, above, under “References.”
In Memoriam: RMS Titanic Resources LINK
Titanic Info Service LINK
“Jim’s Titanic Links Page” LINK
“Links
to Other Wallace Hartley Sites,” Pendle Net, Andrew
Stringer, webmaster. LINK
“Musica e balletti,” under “Biblioteca,” Titanic (Italian index) LINK
“Titanic,”
“Wallace
Hartley, Bandmaster on the Titanic,” Pendle.Net, Andrew Stringer,
webmaster. LINK
About the Author
Dr. J. Marshall Bevil is a native of
© 1999, 2004 J. Marshall
Bevil
All Rights Reserved
Thank you for visiting this page
and its accompanying online documents. My purpose in preparing and posting them
was the furtherance of understanding of an issue that has intrigued and
bedeviled Titanic enthusiasts since shortly after the disaster occurred.
I can be
contacted via e-mail for written
permission to quote from this study. I will be happy to grant permission in
most circumstances, but it must be obtained in writing before any portion of
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY in a civil action. Legal remedies will be pursued.
End of Document