Charleston Symphony,

Portraits in Blue and Gray

Part of Civil War @ Charleston Website

Hear the Orchestra Soundclips

Soundclip (Wav) from Bonnie Blue Flag, 200 kb. Stereo Right- David Stahl, Conductor, Music Director

Soundclip (wav) from I Dream of Jeannie 79k mono, Amos Laurence, Violinist.

Soundclip (wav) Battle Hymn of the Republic 100k.

Charleston, SC- Portraits of Blue & Gray, songs Of the Civil War era, is the title of a new CD and cassette featuring the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO). under the baton of Music Director David Stahl, the CSO and the Charleston Symphony Chorus performing a medley by American composers- Stephen Foster, Dixie, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Portraits of Blue & Gray (a medley of Civil War songs arranged by local composer Earl Mays) and many more period pieces. Also featured is the world-famous Brotherhood, an a cappelia male gospel group founded in 1977 at the Long Point Missionary Baptist Church, in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

Available at the Charleston Symphony Orchestra office at 14 George St. Charleston, SC. 29401, by calling 803-723-7528 ext. 102, or at symphony@awod.com. The price for the CD is $16 and the cassette is $12. Credit cards are accepted.

Site Editor's Comments

By William Hamilton

If you have ever wondered what the great music of the war would sound like liberated from cheesy drum machines and bad quitar music, you do not have to wait any longer. This is a magnificently performed collection of the sacred songs of the historic canon. There is an amazing version of The Bonnie Blue Flag here, a grand symphonic treatment of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, a touching Dixie yoked to a memorable version of Amazing Grace and a Battle Cry of Freedom that stirs even the Confederate heart. This is a great, professional orchestra and Earl Mays has spent his life arranging music for military bands. Just call them and buy it. Give it to people for Christmas. This music has held meaning for American's for over one and a quarter centuries. It deserves to be performed this well and you deserve to hear it. Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground, performed this well, can still raise an honest tear. If the music of history really matters to you, you will value this album. A bonus track of Porgy and Bess and the Charleston fills out the album, and the reverberation of the history can be heard in both of those selections as well. The concluding spirituals are the true sound of Charleston. A wonderful collection. Our brief soundclips do not do it justice. Thank you David Stahl and performers.