Enlightenment in the New World: American Harpsichord Music

Oliver Baumont (Artist, Performer), William Selby (Artist), Alexander Reinagle (Artist), James Hewitt (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Oliver Baumont
• Audio CD (July 17, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B000059ZI1
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #412,541 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Voluntary VIII in A

2. Son III in D

3. Lee Rigg, A Scots Tune With 3 Vars And A Gig In A

4. Sinf in E flat

5. Three Hornpipes in B flat, C and G

6. Yankee Doodle With 9 Vars

7. Rondo III in G

8. Son VI in B flat: Spiritoso - Andantino

9. The Maid Of Lodi in G: Prld - Air And 4 Vars

10. The Battle Of Trenton: A Favorite Historical Son Dedicated To General Washington In D - Olivier Baumont/Matthew Kowles

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting and moving music, June 10, 2002

By 

Mark A. Whitenack "marconiusrex" (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Enlightenment in the New World: American Harpsichord Music (Audio CD)

[...] 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.

3.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but . . ., January 18, 2012

By 

Matthew W. Dunn "Matthew W. I. Dunn" (Sparta, N.J. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Enlightenment in the New World: American Harpsichord Music (Audio CD)

I love obscure composers; I also love harpsichord music. Therefore, I heartily recommend this CD of harpsichord pieces by early American musicians.

As one might expect with composers working within an emerging (and, in most cases, foreign) culture, the works are uneven. Reinagle's "Lee Rigg" sounds a little weird and belabored. Then again, he was from Scotland; and, the work was supposed to be based on a Scottish tune. Maybe, one has to be Scotch to fully appreciate it? Other pieces are quite nice: Brown's "Rondos;" Moeller's "Symphony;" Selby's "Voluntary."

Most of the composers on this CD were emigrants to the United States from Europe. It might bother some that Olivier Baumont did not make it a point to seek out natural-born Americans, raised in the culture and milieu of the Colonies and emerging Nation. Still, in a way it pays homage to one of the glories of the United States: to be an immigrant nation.

There is only one major blemish to note about the recording. It comes during James Hewitt's "Battle of Trenton." For some reason -- I don't know why; maybe, it's how the original composer wanted it -- Baumont chooses to have a Narrator's voice (viz., Mr. Matthew Kowles) telling the listener what each section of the piece is supposed to musically portray. So, every few seconds Mr. Kowles interrupts with: "Gen. Washington arrives . . . " or "The Hessians Surrender . . . " or . . . you get the idea. I found it to be excruciating to listen to: like someone talking to me while I'm trying to watch a movie. An awful, awful decision, in my opinion.

Overall, though, a nice thing to have.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars nice playing, bad music, May 23, 2002

By 

new music guy (NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Enlightenment in the New World: American Harpsichord Music (Audio CD)

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.