Music for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving time in the United States. Musical ideas to explore for the holiday

Hanneke Cassel and Christopher Lewis: Calm the Raging Sea Top Scottish style fiddler and guitarist turn their attention to a set of hymns

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Harvest Home
fiddle and guitar on lively and reflective music of the American landscape


Mark O'Connor: Americana Symphony
classical and Americana meet in the hands of a composer who is master of both


Donal Clancy Close to Home Irish music, on guitar, close to home


bluegrass, jazz, Celtic, and folk keep good company on this recording from Alison Brown
The Company You Keep


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Music Road: holiday gift list: American harvest

Music Road: harvest time: Native American music

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now playing: The Essential Mark O'Connor

The Essential Mark O'Connor


Bluegrass picker, hot swing jazz violinist, classical composer, innovative teacher --- however you look at the work of Mark O’Connor, no doubt listening to it is essential to understanding the evolution to twentieth century American music.
It also must have been a bit challenging to decide what to include and what to leave out on a package called The Essential mark O’Connor, although the fact that it’s bounded by O’Connor’s recording while he was with the Sony label explains why the focus is mainly on his classical work.

If you’re a committed folk music fan and think that means you won’t like the music here, though, think again. Likewise, if your listening preference is classical, prepare to be surprised and engaged. The second disc in the package is mainly orchestral work, while the first disc comprises trio work, chamber music, and other sorts of smaller and sometimes more informal collaborations. The jazz side comes into play in Tiger Rag, with Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, and one of O’Connor’s best known compositions, Appalachia Waltz, appears as both a trio piece on the first disc and played by an orchestra on the second. Bluegrass and Texas music find a place with Bonaparte’s Retreat and Midnight on the Water, and though he’s known as a fiddler (or violinist, take your choice), you also get to hear O'Connor on guitar and on mandolin on several of the pieces on the first disc. Through it all, there’s his unmistakable touch and tone on his instruments, and his creative combinations of the power of the fixed forms of classical music with the free flowing ideas of bluegrass fiddling. If you already know O’Connor’s work, this is a fine way to hear some favorite pieces, and if you’re new to his music or curious about it. this is a good place to start.

Autumn music

North of the equator, at this time of year the quality of light, the sound of the breeze, the face of the clouds and the colors of the forest begin to call attention to the idea of change, to the memories of summer, and the gathering in of families, and of harvest. Of course, there’s music for all that, some straightforward, some perhaps more distantly connected.

One of the straightforward ones is Jay Ungar and Molly Mason’s Harvest Home. Titles including The Farmer's Set, Haymaker's Hoedown, and Bound For Another Harvest Home give the clue about this music which it at once both reflective and joyous. Ungar is a fiddler, mason is a guitarist, and they’ve a lovely dialog going here of music which reaches beyond the fall season but is very fitting for it.




The Celtic Colours Festival begins tomorrow on Cape Breton. Though she’s not playing there this year, Hanneke Cassel, pictured at right, often uses elements of Cape Breton style in her original compositions. Her latest release, Silver , is a really fine piece of listening for autumn, or any other season.


Keeping with the idea of instrumental music for the moment, Mark O’Connor, Natalie Haas, and Carol Cook collaborated on the interesting set Crossing Bridges, an upwelling of classical technique and American folk theme. Opening horizons all around.

That's what this turn of season is about, in a way, too. turning landscapes, new views, changing times, harvest home, new directions and familiar ones. And always, a time for great music.

-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.