Enlightenment in the New World: American Harpsichord Music

On this CD:

1. Voluntary 8 in A major
Composed by William Selby
Performed by Olivier Baumont

2. Sonatas (3) for the piano forte or harpsichord: Sonata 3 in D major, Op. 1/3
Composed by Newman
Performed by Olivier Baumont

3. Variations on "Lee Rigg" for piano
Composed by Alexander Reinagle
Performed by Olivier Baumont

4. Sinfonia in E flat major
Composed by John Christopher Moller
Performed by Olivier Baumont

5. Hornpipes (3) in B flat major
Composed by Victor Pelissier
Performed by Olivier Baumont

6. Hornpipes (3) in C major
Composed by Victor Pelissier
Performed by Olivier Baumont

7. Hornpipes (3) in G major
Composed by Victor Pelissier
Performed by Olivier Baumont

8. Yankee Doodle with 9 variations
Composed by James Hewitt
Performed by Olivier Baumont

9. Rondo 3 in G major
Composed by William [composer] Brown
Performed by Olivier Baumont

10. Sonata 6 in B flat major
Composed by Benjamin Carr
Performed by Olivier Baumont

11. The Maid of Lodi in C major
Composed by Benjamin Carr
Performed by Olivier Baumont

12. Battle of Trenton, sonata for military band
Composed by James Hewitt
Performed by Olivier Baumont

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Eighteenth-century American harpsichord music isn't something you hear everyday, but the delightful sounds of Enlightenment in the New World can be appreciated by any keyboard lover. Using a French harpsichord built in 1774, Olivier Baumont performs lively (not to mention "enlightened") works by seldom-heard composers William Selby, Alexander Reinagle, Victor Pelissier, someone named simply Mr. Newman, and a few others. There's nothing monumental here--James Hewitt's "Yankee Doodle with 9 Variations" may be too silly to fully appreciate--but the playing is exquisite and there are some great discoveries. European roots can be heard all over these works--Reinagle's "Lee Rig" is a lyrical arrangement of a Scottish jig, Pelissier's work is a hornpipe dance--as composers struggled to find their own voice and national identity. Hewitt's 10-minute-long "The Battle of Trenton," where Baumont's keyboard and a narrator recount one of General Washington's most famous battles, closes out this disc. For those who love the sound of a harpsichord but have grown tired of hearing the same baroque repertoire, this disc is a real find. --Jason Verlinde

Tracks:

Voluntary VIII in A
Son III in D
Lee Rigg, A Scots Tune With 3 Vars And A Gig In A
Sinf in E flat
Three Hornpipes in B flat, C and G
Yankee Doodle With 9 Vars
Rondo III in G
Son VI in B flat: Spiritoso - Andantino
The Maid Of Lodi in G: Prld - Air And 4 Vars
The Battle Of Trenton: A Favorite Historical Son Dedicated To General Washington In D - Olivier Baumont/Matthew Kowles

Amazon.com

Eighteenth-century American harpsichord music isn't something you hear everyday, but the delightful sounds of Enlightenment in the New World can be appreciated by any keyboard lover. Using a French harpsichord built in 1774, Olivier Baumont performs lively (not to mention "enlightened") works by seldom-heard composers William Selby, Alexander Reinagle, Victor Pelissier, someone named simply Mr. Newman, and a few others. There's nothing monumental here--James Hewitt's "Yankee Doodle with 9 Variations" may be too silly to fully appreciate--but the playing is exquisite and there are some great discoveries. European roots can be heard all over these works--Reinagle's "Lee Rig" is a lyrical arrangement of a Scottish jig, Pelissier's work is a hornpipe dance--as composers struggled to find their own voice and national identity. Hewitt's 10-minute-long "The Battle of Trenton," where Baumont's keyboard and a narrator recount one of General Washington's most famous battles, closes out this disc. For those who love the sound of a harpsichord but have grown tired of hearing the same baroque repertoire, this disc is a real find. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Very interesting and moving music.......2002-06-11

[...] I enjoyed this disc very much. Although this music is not stellar in a Handelian/Mozartian way, it captures an interesting moment in Early American History...the quality of the music is admirable, charming and well performed. If you are a fan of baroque music and harpsichord music in particular, I would recommend this disc. I've always been interested in music that has fallen "between the cracks" of music history. Who cares if it is not "great music"....There is much delight to be had from it and you can easily see inspiration from better known European composers.
As for the Picture of the Twin Towers on the front of the disc (a happy accident)...I received this disc in the mail only one day after Sept. 11. The picture shows the towers in a very good light...almost mystical and very peaceful. This struck a very pleasant chord in my psyche..much the same way the music did.

nice playing, bad music.......2002-05-24

The title of this review says it all. This is excellent playing from a technical and musical standpoint, but nothing recorded on this disc is really worth hearing even a single time. CDs that focus on a single, unknown genre are asking for trouble, especially when that genre (in this case, 18th century American harpsichord music) is unknown for a perfectly good reason. There is too much great keyboard music to hear from that age to waste a second listening to this CD.

Music Track:

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