If you could put sound on a postcard, it might sound something like the Early Music Festival being held in Williamsburg next week. After all, our favorite postcards are typically idyllic scenes that capture passing moments. They transport us.
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New Podcast: The Sound of War
The conventional wisdom surrounding Colonial Williamsburg’s Fifes and Drums has been that these timeless instruments provided the backdrop to battle because their sounds were uniquely detectable to the human ear.
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Playing a Different Tune
Lee Welch records a song in the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation studio for the CD, “A Grand Entertainment.”
It began in 1968 with a recording of “A Candlelight Concert at the Governor’s Palace.”…
Spirituals Communicate More Than Just Words and Music
In colonial times, spirituals and religious folk songs did more than carry musical messages of faith and hope. For those who were enslaved, they were also a way to communicate….
Check Out Our New Newsletter
Welcome to ReCap, a weekly newsletter packed with stories about Revolutionary history and its relevance to today’s world. We’ll tell you about the historic trades, our rare breeds, what’s being exhibited in our museums and the myriad of ways you can be entertained in the Revolutionary City….
Happy Birthday, Peter Pelham
Colonial Williamsburg’s Michael Monaco portrays musician Peter Pelham.
Musician, gaoler, coroner, clerk: Peter Pelham wore many different hats. The first organist at Williamsburg’s Bruton Parish Church was an ever-present fixture on the bench through the colony’s most tumultuous years.
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The Wind-Chest Before Treatment
The wind-chest sits on top of the chassis just behind the upright grand piano. The organ’s pipes and outer casework are removed.
By John Watson
We’re back after some re-organization of the blog….
Christmas Hymns You Thought You Knew
All together now!
“Hark how all the Welkin rings, Glory to the King of….” Hold on. What in the world is a Welkin ring, and what’s it doing in a Christmas carol?
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18th Century Holiday Music
A musician serenades guests at Grand Illumination 1975.
Don’t we all love the holiday music and beloved carols that we’ve been singing since childhood?
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The 2014 Early Music Festival
This year’s Early Music Festival is a special one, emphasizing our musical connection with the mother country. Titled “From England to America:…