ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE - Measured Obsession

In this CD are some of the most beautiful tunes that Fried de Metz Herman, choreographer extraordinaire, utilized for a number of her best loved dances. As a musician herself, she has a keen ear for a fine tune, and she has engaged some of her favorite musicians to present this music. Playing a variety of instruments, these three musicians created their own arrangements of these lovely tunes and produced a recording for both dancers and listeners.

A book with instructions for the dances is also available.

Measured
Obsession

Music for Dances of Fried de Metz Herman (2000)

• Songs of the Harpist •
• Rose of Sharon •
• Ten Commandments •
• Hale- Bopp Circle •
• Laurelhurst •
• Fleur de Lis •
• The Mavis Sweetly Sings •
• Fifty/Fifty •
• Measured Obsession •
• Seven Stars in the Sky •
• Mylecharane •
• Impertinence •
• Severn Bore •
• Peace Be With You

ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE MUSIC - Gary Roodman’s Series

Gary Roodman, prolific choreographer of excellent English country dances, has spearheaded this excellent series of recordings of the music for many of his best dances. On the first two albums he used two trios whom he worked with a lot in the past: MGM (Mary Lea, Gene Murrow, Margaret Ann Martin ) and Reunion (Daniel Beerbohm, Barbara Greenberg, Jonathan Jensen)--musicians with an extensive background playing for English country dance music. For his third and most recent album he elected to utilize musicians from the Connecticut River Valley where he now lives. On all these recordings there is music for both listening and dancing, beautiful tunes, varied instrumentation and arrangements, as well as stellar musicianship.

Booklets for each CD with instructions for the dances are available for teachers of English Country dancing.

Old Friends

Music for a Selection of Dances from Gary Roodman's Calculated Figures - Played by MGM and Reunion (2001)

• Laisteridge Lane •
• Trip to the Manors •
• The Homecoming •
• Old Friends •
• True Kit •
• Fine Lady of Homewood •
• Marching to Praetorius •
• Cadgers' Other Caper •
• Benjamin's Birth Day •
• The Wrights of Lichfield •
• A Retiring Fellow •
• Sarah •
• Twenty Something •
• Good Man of Cambridge •
• A New Beginning •
• Audrey and Andrea •
• Winter Dreams

Musicians: MGM:

Mary Lea

violin / viola

Margaret Ann Martin

piano / chimes

Gene Murrow

concertina / recorders / krummhorn / tambourine / chimes

Reunion:

Daniel Beerbohm

flute / clarinet / whistle

Barbara Greenberg

volin

Jonathan Jensen

piano / recorders / andolin / krummhorn / ocarina / whistle

New Friends

Music for a Second Selection of Dances from Gary Roodman's Calculated Figures - Played by MGM and Reunion (2004)

• Horseplay •
• Birthday Greetings •
• Dovetail •
• Emma Turns Three •
• Peter and Peggy •
• Kneeland Romp •
• Turning by Threes •
• Henry's Hornpipe •
• Accord for Pinewoods •
• Mary K •
• The Designing Woman •
• Terpsicourante •
• The Dancing Wife •
• Stockport Assembly •
• New Friends •
• A Double Duet

Musicians: MGM:

Mary Lea

violin / viola

Margaret Ann Martin

piano / tambourine / chimes

Gene Murrow

concertina / recorders / tambourine / krummhorns

Reunion:

Daniel Beerbohm

flute / clarinet / whistle

Barbara Greenberg

volin / viola

Jonathan Jensen

piano / recorders/ krummhorn / mandolin / ocarina

Band of Friends

Music for a Third Selection of Dances from Gary Roodman's Calculated Figures

• Honeysuckle Cottage •
• Whiskey Before Dinner •
• Band of Friends •
• Whately Barn •
• Birthday Branle •
• Say I Do •
• Mr. Adson's Masque •
• After Dinner Maggot •
• Dear Abby •
• Hand in Hand •
• Charlene's Celebration •
• Alexander's Birth Day •
• Vivaldi in Paradise •
• Playing (in) the Field •
• Square Line Special •
• Far Away

Musicians:

Karen Axelrod

piano / accordion

Peter Barnes

flute / whistles / piano / guitar

Doug Creighton

flute / melodeon

lydia ievins

violin

Van Kaynor

violin

Mary Lea

violin / viola

Margaret Ann Martin

piano

Erica Morse

viola de gamba / bass / voice

Naomi Morse

violin / voice

Gene Murrow

recorder / concertina / percussion

Jessica Murrow

oboe / English horn

Anna Patton

clarinet

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