Album Notes

Washington Post, April, 1997
Digging Hesperus's 'American Roots'...a nimble balancing of fidelity and freedom that makes this musical history tour is consistently appealing.

About the Artist
Scott Reiss & Tina Chancey, Co-directors Hesperus, named for Venus and the West Wind, creates a synthesis of living and historic musical traditions by exploring the cultural parallels between the Old World and the new. Founded in 1979, the group comprises several ensembles with overlapping membership. They collectively perform Baroque and American Colonial music, Spanish and Native American works from New Spain, and a crossover style that combines European medieval and renaissance music with... read more

Album Description
Spirited new sounds from early Colonial America - from the arrival of the first colonists to the American Revolution and the birth of our republic. Performing on recorders, Baroque violin, viola da gamba, flageolet, hammered dulcimer, cittern and Baroque guitar, the musicians perform high energy improvisations, lively country dance tunes, elegant French cotillions and early American shape-note hymns. Selections from this recording was chosen and is on the soundtrack to the Hollywood blockbuster Tim Burton's Paramont film Sleepy Hollow featuring Johnny Depp!Set in 1799, "Sleepy Hollow" is based on Washington Irving's classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Faithful to the dreamy custom-bound world that Irving paints in his story, the film mixes horror, fantasy and romance and features an extraordinary cast of characters that dabble in the supernatural and the Hesperus music fits perfect!