Associate Professor Steven Cornelius, an ethnomusicologist at the University, wrote the book, “Music of the Civil War Era,” about the songs sung during the era.

He decided to write the book because of his lifelong interest in the Civil War.

It took him one year to research the history and music of the era. He focused on the songs sung in the parlor, band music, musical life in New York, African-American response to war and abolition music. Cornelius interviewed scholars, used old manuscripts and found 1850s sheet music on the internet from the Library of Congress Web site.

He writes about how war was honorable, but war quickly became a shameful endeavor.

“We’re all very gung-ho about war,” Cornelius said. “It was an honor to die for the cause.”

He wrote about the loss of the men that went to war and how they did not come home in the songs that were sung. Also, songs were sung about the men’s last thoughts as they died on the field.

“It is the last year; enough is enough,” Cornelius said about the men on the field during battle.

He may have a love for the Civil War and music, but he has a passion for African-Cuban music, as well. He co-wrote another book called “The Music of Santeria: Traditional Rhythms of the Bata Drums” with John Amira.

This particular book is about drumming for a religion in the African and Cuban customs combined. The Catholic religion came from West Africa. When the slaves were transported to Cuba with their religious ideas, they were merged with Cuban music, eventually called Santeric. The African language, Yoruba, is still used to this day in their Catholic Masses from present-day Nigeria.

He revels in cultural ideas from around the world, especially African culture.

He went to Ghana with Rebecca Green, an associate art professor, and other students. They played a lot of music, danced for chiefs and in festivals, watched hides being tanned into moccasins and boutique jewelry.

“We’ve taken people out of North West Ohio into an alien environment,” Cornelius said.

It was neat to see how they reacted, learn the African values, and learn service for others, he said.

He is a director for the concert on Saturday being held for children.

Cornelius is also a dance and classical music critic for the Daily Paper.

Since the Civil War struck a nerve with him when he was young, he successfully completes a book, in return it can strike a nerve with his readers. Once again, he tells about his book and the men who no longer thought it was honorable to fight for their country.

“It’s heartbreaking to have the view about glory,” Cornelius said. “Now it’s about suffering.”