From the liner notes:Mention the name of Stephen Foster and the hits come quickly to mind.Songs such as Beautiful Dreamer, Camptown Races, MyOld Kentucky Home, I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, Old Folks At Home, and Oh! Susanna have been known and loved by Americans for generations.But Foster was much more than just a composer of popular melodies.He was also an arranger, hymn writer, and composer of instrumental music.Today a large body of his work lies neglected and forgotten, most likely because most of his music has never been recorded.This disc, which is the first commercial recording of much of this music, was produced for the purpose of introducing a sampling of this peerless composer’s total output to the American music scene. It is hoped the listener will gain an insight into Stephen Foster as the versatile composer he was and not remember him as a song writer only.Please listen and enjoy.
CAUTION: The songs on this album were written during a distinct period in American history, a fact which is apparent in some of the lyrics.The listener is advised to view this listening experience as a unique window into the past.
