Back in the 1860s sheet music for songs was in great demand. Before the era of television or radio, families made their own entertainment at home in the evenings, often singing around the piano. Popular songs for family singing were Irish ballads like When You Were Sweet Sixteen,
and melodramatic pieces such as The Lost Chord.
One of the most popular songs of all was the tearjerker After the Ball.
The sheet music for this 1892 ballad sold 10 million copies,...
