“The Banjo, Op. 15” by Gottschalk and Sound of Actual Banjo

Examine the relationship between “The Banjo, Op. 15” by Gottschalk and the sound of an actual banjo.

“The Banjo, Op. 15” by Louis Moreau Gottschalk is a piano piece written to imitate the sounds of a banjo. What has Gottschalk done in this composition to achieve this? Discuss the elements of this music (rhythm, texture, timbre, pitch, etc.) and the ways the composer used them to write this character piece. Do you think this work is successful in creating a banjo sound on the piano? Why or why not? Do you like this piece? Is there anything about this work that strikes you as particularly American in any way?