World War I: Music

From 1914 through 1920 the Library of Congress acquired over 14,000 pieces of sheet music relating to what ultimately became known as the First World War, with the greatest number coming from the years of the United States' active involvement (1917-1918) and the immediate postwar period. America's entry into the war came at a time when popular songwriting and the music publishing industry, centered in New York's Tin Pan Alley, was at its height and a new musical form known as "jazz" was emerging. The sheet music collection represents the intersection of this rich output of popular song and the consciousness of a nation at war that was itself emerging, as a major world power.

From Over There!: American Songs and Marches of the Great War - 1917-1918, Vol. 1

From Oh! It's A Lovely War (Vol 2); by Mark Sheridan

From Oh! It's A Lovely War

From The Song Hits of World War I

From Vintage Quartets

From 1917: Yankees to the Ranks

From 1915: They'd Sooner Sleep on Thistles; performed by John McCormack

From The Phonographic Yearbook: 1916 - The Country Found Them Ready

From Remembrance Classics

From French Classics; composed by Maurice Ravel

From Great Recordings of the Century; composed by Claude Debussy

From 20 Reflective Recordings; performed by Glenn Miller

From 1917: Yankees to the Ranks

From Oh! It's A Lovely War (Vol 2), by William Thomas

From Voice Of An Angel; performed by Deanna Durbin

From The Song Hits of World War I; by by John McCormack

From Wind Band Masterworks, Vol. 1; performed by Texas A&M University Symphonic Band

From Over There!: American Songs and Marches of the Great War - 1917-1918, Vol. 1

From No Exceptions No Exemptions: Great War Songs

From Great War: An American Musical Fantasy

From 1994 International Barbershop Quartet Contest - Final Round - Volume 2

This post first appeared in “Veterans on the Homefront,” the November–December issue of LCM, the Library of Congress Magazine. Written by Mark Hartsell

The Smithsonian Institute presents sheet music covers from the era with songs meant to inspire action, entertain, or comfort.

Music blog from the British Library. Written by Dr Cara Rodway.