The 2021 Texas Capitol Ornament
Music has always been an important holiday tradition at the Texas State Capitol. Leonora Rives was commissioned to compose the Texas State Capitol Grand Waltz to celebrate the opening of the Capitol in May, 1888. The Austin Daily Statesman printed over 10,000 copies of the sheet music as souvenirs for 60 cents each and they were sold out before the first note was heard. The waltz was performed at the dedication ball for the Capitol. Governor Lawrence Sullivan Ross and First Lady Elizabeth Tinsley Ross led the march into the Senate and House Chambers as the music played from the second floor.
The holiday tradition of Texas musical groups of all ages performing for the public at the Capitol began early in the 20th century and continues to this day. The December 21, 1914 Austin American newspaper noted that school children and church choirs accompanied by a local orchestra were set to carol that evening in front of the Capitol South Grounds.
The 2021 ornament pays homage to these meaningful musical traditions. The scene is reminiscent of a fanciful snow globe as sparkling snowflakes fall surrounding the south façade of the majestic Renaissance Revival Capitol. A group of Victorian-era carolers gather in front of the Statehouse singing from their songbooks while elaborate gas lamps, like the eight that flank the building’s entrances, provide illumination for the singers. The musical notes from the Texas State Capitol Grand Waltz hang behind the Capitol dome.
Sales from this exclusive ornament support the ongoing preservation and interpretation of the Texas Capitol for over one million visitors annually. Collect this commemorative piece of Texas history and help the Statehouse maintain its beauty for generations to come.
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