Reminiscences of John Mahon (1877)

Abstract Written by Stephen C. Foster’s friend John Mahon, these reminiscences contain anecdotes about the composer from the last years of his life in New York. Mahon was responding to an article published in the New York Clipper that was based on Nevin’s article, thus Mahon’s reminiscences indirectly respond to—and at times refute—Nevin’s claims. Mahon recalls when he first encountered Foster’s music and met the songwriter and divulges what he knows of the origins and publication of some of Foster’s songs. His recollection of Foster’s explanation of how he came to write “Under the Willow She’s Sleeping” amounts to Foster’s most thorough explanation of his approach to commercial songwriting. He refutes Nevin’s grandiose claims about how much Foster earned from his songs. Christopher Lynch provides an introduction and annotations with notes and corrections.