October Newsletter - 2026

Do you recognize these two composers with ties to Newport?

Dear Friends,

As the seasons change, we're pleased to share new stories that celebrate Newport's rich musical heritage. In this issue, you'll find a guest-contributed article on the Feller brothers of Fort Adams, whose musical service reflects the important role music played in Newport's military history. We're also looking ahead to upcoming lectures featuring Newporters Jane Pickens and Blanche Oelrichs, shown in the photographs above, two remarkable women whose lives and talents left a lasting mark on our cultural landscape. Together, these stories help illuminate the people, traditions, and performances that have shaped our community over generations.

We are grateful to everyone who has supported our work so far. Your generosity helps us preserve treasures such as The Tale of the Viking in our digital archives and a rare 1915 photograph of the Newport Municipal Band in our physical collection. Every score, photograph, document, and story adds to our understanding of Newport's musical past and helps ensure it remains accessible for future generations. As we continue to grow our collections and expand our programs, we invite you to consider making a donation today. No gift is too small, and every contribution makes a meaningful difference. Your support helps us preserve, protect, and share Newport's musical heritage before more of these irreplaceable pieces of local history are lost.

Musically yours,

Dr. Mark A. Stickney
Founder, Historic Music of Newport

Music Highlight

The Tale of the Viking

In 1881, George E. Whiting set the Longfellow poem The Skeleton in Armor to music.

The poem was first published in 1841 with this explanation by Longfellow: “The following ballad was suggested to me while riding on the sea-shore at Newport. A year or two previous a skeleton had been dug up in Fall River, clad in broken and corroded armor; and the idea occurred to me of connecting it with the Round Tower in Newport, generally known hitherto as the Old Stone Wind-Mill, though now claimed by the Danes as a Work of their early ancestors.” (Most accounts at the time of its discovery identified the Skeleton in Armor as the remains of a Native American leader.)

Whiting used the poem to compose his cantata for 3 solo voices, choir, and orchestra. A copy of the original score has yet to be located, though the Chicago Symphony Archives holds an original copy of the overture. What survives today is a version arranged for voices and piano. The images above show portions of both the overture and piano-vocal score.

Want to hear the overture and learn more about music written about the Old Stone Mill?

Upcoming Events

Over the next few months, in collaboration with fellow Newport nonprofits, we will present a series of programs exploring our city's rich musical heritage. Each event will highlight a different chapter in Newport's remarkable musical story, from composers connected to some of the city's most prominent families to the music that once echoed through its streets, churches, and public halls. These special evenings will offer a unique opportunity to discover Newport's vibrant musical past.

November 5 - Jane Pickens, A Life of Music and Art
The Newport Art Museum

November 12 - A Newport Songbook
The Preservation Society of Newport County

December 10 - The Musical Life of Newport’s Theatres
The Newport Historical Society

Visit the link below to learn more about these upcoming programs and reserve your tickets.

Newport's musical history deserves to be preserved and shared. When you shop with us, every purchase helps support the preservation of historic music, the protection of rare archival collections, and programs that bring this remarkable heritage to the community.

Conrad Feller was born in Germany in 1882 and was the youngest of three brothers who served in the bands at Fort Adams during the early twentieth century. Following their military service, Conrad and his brothers made Newport their home. In our latest blog post, guest contributor Caroline Albright, a senior at Tufts University, explores the story of the Feller family and their contributions to Newport's musical life.

Newport's musical history is disappearing. Rare sheet music, recordings, photographs, and stories are at risk of being lost unless they are identified, preserved, and shared. Every donation helps us act now to save this irreplaceable heritage. Your gift will help us:

• Tell the stories of Newport’s musicians and the communities they shaped.

• Acquire and preserve historic sheet music, recordings, and digital archives tied to Newport’s past.

• Expand educational programs that bring this history to students, families, and visitors.

• Record and revive the music in our collection so it can be heard again today.

• Create a permanent space in Newport where this music and history can be experienced by all.

Your generosity helps ensure that Newport’s musical legacy remains alive for future generations.