Biography:George W. Allen
George W. Allen
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| Given name: | George |
| Middle name: | W. |
| Family name: | Allen |
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| Year of birth: | |
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| Profile: | Composer, Musician |
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Biographical notes
Nothing has come to light regarding who George W. Allen was, where he lived or the circumstances in which he compiled this remarkable collection. His handwritten manuscript "Clogs, Hornpipes, Reels & Jigs" was probably written during the 1880's (at the earliest, after 1872, as there are pages that bear the mark "Carl Fischer, New York", a firm that began publishing music that y ear). There are a few tune titles that reference New York ("Coney Island" and "The Elevated." There seems to be an increase in Irish-titled and Irish-sounding tunes from the middle of the book on, while the first part of the book seems devoted to hornpipes and clogs that mirror the Straight Jig/clog/hornpipe/schottische type tunes that were popular in the 1880's, particularly for stage dancers. It is only later that he introduces jigs and reels, along with the growing Irish music influence. Also, the MS. appears to have been added to over time, for while the musical notation is in the same hand, it is larger beginning with tune 121.
It is possible that George W. Allen is the same person who was a salesman, and then president of the Milton Piano Company in New York [1]. He is mentioned as living in Stoney Point, Connecticut, and there is a tune in the MS. called "Stoney Point." However little, other than business notices, has been found that would further link this person with the MS.