Three Hundred Years in Annapolis: Phase III Archaeological Investigations of the Anne Arundel County Courthouse Site (18AP63), Annapolis, Maryland

During the summer of 1994, Archaeology in Annapolis conducted archaeological investigations of the city block bounded by Franklin, South and Cathedral Streets in the city of Annapolis. This Phase III excavation was conducted as a means to identify subsurface cultural resources in the impact area associated with the proposed construction of the Anne Arundel County Courthouse addition. This impact area included both the upper and lower parking lots used by Courthouse employees. Investigations were conducted in the form of mechanical trenching and hand excavated units. Excavations in the upper lot area yielded significant information concerning the interior area of the block. Known as Bellis Court, this series of rowhouses was constructed in the late nineteenth century and was used as rental properties by African-Americans. The dwellings remained until the middle of the twentieth century when they were demolished in preparation for the construction of a Courthouse addition. Portions of the foundation of a house owned by William H. Bellis in the 1870s were also exposed in this area. Construction of this house was begun by William Nicholson around 1730 and completed by Daniel Dulany in 1732/33. It was demolished in 1896 by James Munroe, a Trustee for Bellis. Excavations in the upper lot also revealed the remains of a late seventeenth/early eighteenth century wood-lined cellar, believed to be part of the earliest known structure on Lot 58. After an initially rapid deposition of fill around 1828, this cellar was gradually covered with soil throughout the remainder of the nineteenth century. The fill deposit in the cellar feature yielded a mixed assemblage of artifacts that included sherds of early materials such as North Devon gravel-tempered earthenware, North Devon sgraffito and Northem Italian slipware, along with creamware, pearlware and whiteware. In the lower parking lot, numerous artifacts were recovered from yard scatter associated with the houses that at one time fronted along Cathedral Street and were occupied by African- Americans. An assemblage of late seventeenth century/early eighteenth century materials and several slag deposits from an early forge were recovered from this second area of study. The materials associated with the forge, including portions of a crucible, provided evidence of some of the earliest industry in Annapolis. Investigations in both the upper and lower parking lots added to the knowledge of the changing landscape within the project area, including a prevalence of open space in early periods, a surprising survival of impermanent structures, and a gradual regrading and filling of the block with houses and interior courts. Excavations at the Anne Arundel County Courthouse proved this to be a multi-component site, rich in cultural resources from Annapolis' Early Settlement Period through its Modern Period (as specified by Maryland's Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan (Weissman 1986)). This report provides detailed interpretations of the archaeological findings of these Phase III investigations.

AUSTRO-GERMAN VIOLIN REPERTORIE FROM BAROQUE THROUGH ROMANTIC PERIOD

At the end of the sixteenth century, Germany had become one of the most active centers of early Baroque music, and therefore Austro-German music came to dominate Western music. An investigation of violin works written during this period reveals the ways in which Austro-German compositions are extraordinary contributions to the violin repertoire. This research warranted further study and performance of these works in order to determine what influence these composers had on the violin repertoire as a whole. For my dissertation recital project, I trace the history of works for violin focusing the violin concerto repertoire in particular. A genre which remained popular throughout the century, the nineteenth-century concerto served primarily as a vehicle for virtuosic display of the violin and piano as never before. For my research I studied and performed works selected from the Baroque through the Romantic period in three recorded recitals with collaborative pianists Ilya Sinaisky, Sun-ha Yun, and Seyon Lee at the Gildenhorn Recital Hall, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. I selected particularly prominent pieces which represent the work of significant composers from each period. The composers discussed include Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), owing to the fact that his works are the culmination of the Baroque era during the first half of the eighteenth century; from the Classical period, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) all of whom emerged mixing German and Italian traditions into his own style, and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), the bridge composer between the Classical and the Romantic periods; Romantic composers, Franz Schubert (1979-1828), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Robert Schumann (1810-1856), Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), and Max Bruch (1838-1920), all who tended to mix Classic and Romantic elements. As a violinist, I learned that their own original sound, rich harmonies and unique expression made these works worthy of becoming masterpieces. I have relished the opportunity for musical and professional growth in exploring these substantial compositions.

VARIATION FORMS: A SURVEY THROUGH FOUR CENTURIES OF VIOLIN REPERTOIRE

Variation, or the re-working of existing musical material, has consistently attracted the attention of composers and performers throughout the history of Western music. In three recorded recitals at the University of Maryland School of Music, this dissertation project explores a diverse range of expressive possibilities for violin in seven types of variation form in Austro-German works for violin from the 17th through the 20th centuries. The first program, consisting of Baroque Period works, performed on period instrument, includes the divisions on “John come kiss me now” from The Division Violin by Thomas Baltzar (1631 – 1663), constant bass variations in Sonate Unarum Fidium by Johann Heinrich von Schmelzer (1623 – 1680), arbitrary variation in Sonata for Violin and Continuo in E Major, Op. 1, No. 12 “Roger” by George Friedrich Händel (1685 – 1759), and French Double style, melodic-outline variation in Partita for Unaccompanied Violin in B Minor by Johan Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750). Theme and Variations, a popular Classical Period format, is represented by the Sonata for Piano and Violin in G Major K. 379 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) and Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, Op. 47 No. 9 the “Kreutzer” by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827). Fantasy for Piano and Violin in C Major D. 934 by Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828) represents the 19th century fantasia variation. In these pieces, the piano and violin parts are densely interwoven, having equal importance. Many 20th century composers incorporated diverse types of variations in their works and are represented in the third recital program comprising: serial variation in the Phantasy for Violin and Piano Op.47 of Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951); a strict form of melodic-outline variation in Sonate für Violine allein, Op. 31, No. 2 of Paul Hindemith (1895 – 1963); ostinato variation in Johan Halvorsen’s (1864 – 1935) Passacaglia for Violin and Viola, after G. F. Handel’s Passacaglia from the Harpsichord Suite No. 7 in G Minor. Pianist Audrey Andrist, harpsichordist Sooyoung Jung, and violist Dong-Wook Kim assisted in these performances.