Comments for When I Can Read ... 2008-09-13

If you'd like to sample music from this era, try just about anything written by William Billings (1746-1800), a Bostonian considered by many to be the first truly American composer. The album Early American Choral Music, Vol. I: Anthems and Fuging Tunes by William Billings is particularly recommended. Paul Hillier and his group, His Majestie's Clerkes (American college singers mostly, despite the 1700s-English name) do a fine job of rendering Billings' works with great precision and care, but with enough folksiness to occasionally assault the ears a bit with the very exposed fifths that are the hallmark of the harmony of this period. Hey, Rascal Flatts it ain't--but then again in some ways it acutally is! Enjoy! Prof. Oates Posted by Grandpa/Prof. Oates on 13 Sep 08 Saturday - 23:40 [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

	Grandpa/Prof. Oates Chuck Oates	Speaking of having your ears assaulted just a bit, Billings' song "Shiloh," particularly as it's recorded at a really agressive tempo by Paul Hillier's Pro Arte Singers on the Album Carols from the Old and New Worlds, vol. II, should pretty quickly give you the picture that modern Christians aren't the only ones who've ever really enjoyed singing their message. C'mon, all this stuff's on iTunes for a buck a track. Humor me a little! :^) Prof. Oates Posted by Grandpa/Prof. Oates on 14 Sep 08 Sunday - 00:17 [Reply to this] [Remove] [Block User]

Grandpa/Prof. Oates Chuck Oates

Holy smoke! Some of William Billings' stuff is available FREE in the new MySpace Music area. See the MySpace music section in my profile. Prof. Oates Posted by Grandpa/Prof. Oates on 27 Sep 08 Saturday - 00:32