A Colonial Christmas

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.