Performed by Early Music New York
Frederick Renz, Director

"a winning mixture of shape-note hymns and dance tunes." St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Continuing its series of historical, seasonal repertoire from the Middle Ages through the baroque eras in association with The Metropolitan Museum, EARLY MUSIC NEW YORK presents 18th-century, New England Shape-Note anthems and fuging tunes by William Billings and his contemporaries (Asahel Benham, Samuel Holyoke, Jacob Kimball, Merit Woodruff, Daniel Read,William Selby and others).

Popular tunes used for social dancing were brought from England by way of several 18th-century issues of "The English Dancing Master" by the publisher John Playford. Dance tunes heard on this recording (flute, violin, bass violon and guitar) include the holiday titles "Christmas Cheer," "The Merry Wassail," "New Year's Eve," "New Year's Day in the Morning," and "Twelfth Eve."

A medley of Dances, Marches, Airs and Song Tunes collected by colonial soldier, Captain George Bush, from his notebook dated 1779, round out this album of seasonal music from the Colonies.

Play List

1.Cold and RawThe Dancing Master (DM)

2.BethlehemWilliam Billings

3.In the Fields in Frost and SnowDM

4.The Seasons of the Year - WinterDaniel Read

5.Drive the Cold Winter AwayDM

6.Emanuel for ChristmasBillings

7.JudeaBillings

8.Christmas CheerDM

9.Greensleeves/Pudding PiesDM

10.Lumps of PuddingDM

11.BoxfordJacob Kiimball

12.Cradle HymnMerit Woodruff

13.RedemptionAsahel Benham

14.PaxtonSouthern Harmony (SH)

15.AntiochSH

16.Peace and Plenty or Old OxfordDM

17.New-Year's EveDM

18.The Healths or The Merry WasselDM

19.Adeste fidelesJohn Francis Wade

20.Potuguese HymnSH

21.Over the WaterBush's Note-book

22.SumersettSamuel Holyoke

23.UlsterHolyoke

24.UffindellHolyoke

25.Kathern OggieBN

26.New Year's DayDM

27.Barkers MaggottDM

28.Washington's MarchBN

29.Ode for the New YearWilliam Selby

30.WashingtonRespository of Music

31.Soldier's JoyBN

32.Yankee DoodleBN

33.Star in the EastSH

34.The Babe of BethlehemSH

35.Twelfth EveDM

36.The Shepherd's StarSH

37.Our PleasureBN

38.Modern MusicianBillings

39.MalbroukBN

40.New YearP.M. Atchley