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Immigrant Musicians: From Ellis Island to the American Stage
Maglione, Dorothy Ellen Glick
Maglione, Dorothy Ellen Glick
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Abstract
Between 1892 and 1954, over twelve million immigrants were processed at Ellis Island, approximately two and a half million of whom were detained due to illness, lack of proper documentation and funds, or miscommunication from a language barrier. In an effort to shape the immigrant introduction to the United States, charitable organizations—under the supervision of immigration officials—sponsored events and activities including concerts, films, and religious services to improve morale, provide crowd control, and introduce American social normative behaviors. The musical performances ranged from community bands and orchestras to famous soloists of the time such as Enrico Caruso and Ernestine Schumann-Heink. This surprisingly active musical life on Ellis Island has yet to be explored in any detail. My work not only constructs and catalogues the musical activities on Ellis Island but also approaches as case studies several immigrant musicians with diverse backgrounds and careers who either passed through the island themselves or whose families arrived at that entry point: Ezio Pinza, Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, and Arthur Tracy. The case studies detail each musical figure’s experience on or connection to the station and explore aspects of immigration underpinning their lives and careers. Tracing the experiences of these four first- and second-generation immigrants better positions Ellis Island in the discourse on American music and immigration, transforming the station from a mile marker into a significant waypoint along the journey to becoming an American. An examination of this subject demonstrates the use of music by charitable organizations in their efforts attempting to comfort and Americanize immigrants while also revealing the undercurrents of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and religion in the music selected and performers featured on Ellis Island. Additionally, it highlights the significant and varied role of immigrants in the music profession and explores the impact of mass migration on American musical life in the early twentieth century.
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2020-01-01
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University of Kansas
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This item contains archived web content.
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Maglione_ku_0099D_17449_DATA_1.pdf
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- Embargoed until 2170-05-31
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Keywords
Music history, Berlin, Irving, Bernstein, Leonard, Ellis Island, Immigration, Pinza, Ezio, Tracy, Arthur