Laments & Dances: Music from the Folk Traditions - Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo, Jay Ungar, Sally Rogers, Turtle Island String Quartet

Laments & Dances Music from the Folk Traditions liner notes

Folk music is about the intimate events of our lives -- births and deaths, love affairs, and family relationships. We learn folk music from those we love and by it we remember them. These songs that we hold so close to our hearts seem very innocent, and yet they have the power to shape nations. Folk music connects us to our past; to traditions, kindred, and lands that in our lives form a foundation stronger than stone. The line between folk music and so-called "art music" has never been distinct. Works of art are largely a product of their authors' heredity and environment, and many great composers have relied heavily on their ethnic milieu for inspiration. The composers of music on this collection have used folk music in some cases as a point of departure, and in others as the substance of their work.