The Original Favorite Croton Waltz, Composed and Arranged for the Piano-Forte by H. F. Williams, Professor of Music

Henry F. Williams (1813-1903), an African-American composer from Boston, wrote this waltz in 1844 to celebrate the Croton Aqueduct's introduction of clean water to New York City. It is one of the most historically significant pieces of Croton-related music: composed by a Black musician at a time when such recognition was rare, published by major firms in both Philadelphia (A. Fiot, 196 Chesnut Street) and New York (W. Dubois, 315 Broadway).

The piece is marked Valse, in 3/4 time, scored for solo piano. It carries dynamic markings ranging from p (piano) through f (forte) to ff (fortissimo), with cres (crescendo) passages, trill ornaments, and the typical European waltz figures.

The U.S. District Court copyright deposit (recorded as manuscript number 398) bears a handwritten note: "Deposited Decr. 26, 1844 By A. Fiot as proper." The formal copyright notice reads: "Entered according to act of Congress in the Year 1844 by A. Fiot in the Clerks Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania."

Williams was born in Boston on August 13, 1813. He began studying music at age seven, training with Peter Albrecht von Hagen Jr., Alfred Howard, and Henry Thacker. He played violin, double bass, cornet, violoncello, trombone, piano, baritone trombone, and tuba. He worked with the famed Frank Johnson Band in Philadelphia, arranging music after Johnson's death (also in 1844, the same year as the Croton Waltz). He later collaborated with Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore's Band and was one of only two Black musicians to perform in the orchestra at the 1872 National Peace Jubilee, playing Wagner's Tannhäuser and the William Tell Overture.

The Croton Waltz appears in the Library of Congress catalog at https://www.loc.gov/item/2023798664/ as part of the bound volumes of instrumental sheet music registered with the U.S. District courts for copyright purposes, 1820-1860.

— NOTE: This entry compiled from photo metadata, Library of Congress catalog records, and Wikipedia biographical information. Details may contain errors. Refer to original sources for authoritative information.