Civil War Classics

This is a live concert at the Civil War Institute by Jay Ungar & Molly Mason. Ungar & Mason are known for their musical contributions to Ken Burns PBS series The Civil War and for Ungar's haunting theme, "Ashokan Farewell," which they performed both for the series and on this CD. Album Description

Journey back in time, Civil War

As always Jay Ungar & Molly Mason do a splendid job. Their presentations of songs from the Civil War era puts one back to that time; and you can feel the exuberance, sadness, & other myriad of emotions reflected via the songs of that tragic time of our history. We are certainly happy to add it to our collection. March 28, 2008

wonderful music!

I love this CD! It has great variety, and the songs all evoke emotions about the pain and heartache of war...a good reminder of why we never want war again...and meaningful for listening. December 21, 2007

Sterilized Old Time Music

Jay Ungar's fiddle playing on this CD is excellent and at times breathtaking. He is also an accomplished clawhammer banjo player. Molly Mason backs up his fiddling with fine guitar and piano work. I also enjoyed her vocal solos and harmony. Ungar's singing is reminiscent of the famous Southerner: Barney Fife. The song selection on the CD is very good, though presented in a rather professorial, politically correct tone and has been scrubbed clean of all traces of potentially offensive lyrics. Kingdom Coming (The Year of Jubilo) is introduced as a "stirring melody" as part of an instrumental medley. If you want to hear a nice fiddle fragment of the song, you'll find it on this recording. If you are interested in the terrific imagery, exultation and humor of the freeing of the slaves, embodied in the original lyrics from Henry Clay Work, look elsewhere. The 2nd South Carolina String Band's Hard Road and The Red Clay Ramblers' Stolen Love (not yet available on CD) both contain excellent versions. January 22, 2007

Simply Wonderful!

I hesitated for almost a year before purchasing this disc, for no other reason than the thought of "is it worth the money?"
After receiving the disc (today, in fact, just two days after ordering it!) I can tell anyone who may have the same concern to go on and order it, and do so today! This is an excellent source of the most popular of Civil War era tunes (except Ashokan Farewell) done in a very traditional style. Ms. Mason and Mr. Ungar compliment each other in every way on this CD, even though it's been stated in another review that Mr. Ungar's voice is "less than perfect." I must disagree. His voice fits the style of music perfectly to the era, perfectly to those who want to hear what an average local singer may have sounded like entertaining the troops, or perhaps serenading the family at a gathering.
Neither the introductions before each tune, nor the applause of the audience, does not take away from the music or the flow.
This CD is well worth your money. January 6, 2006

Fine Fiddling and Much More

Jay Unger and Molly Mason are best known for their performance of the hauntingly beautiful tune Ashokan Farewell, a tune that Ken Burns used as the theme for his monumental PBS documentary The Civil War. Though Unger composed the tune in 1980, the Burns documentary has forever linked it with the Civil War. Unger and Mason perform it on this live album together with many songs of the Civil War and Civil War era.
Unger and Mason put on quite a show. They display a mastery of a variety of instruments as they play fiddles, guitar, banjo, piano, and harmonica. They sing, harmonize, tell stories and jokes, and induce the audience to participate in their show, all to a fine effect. Unger's voice is somewhat less than impressive, but loaded with sincerity, and when he harmonizes with Mason his vocal defects disappear and the result is quite good. They give brief but helpful introductions to these old war folk songs, providing useful information on song histories and context. But above all, they play with a sublime simplicity that can melt your heart, particularly when playing fiddle or piano.
The standout tracks on `Civil War Classics' are the fiddle tunes, where their talent absolutely shines. Ashokan Farewell is available on a couple of other CDs, but if you don't yet have it in your collection, that would be reason enough to buy this CD - it is one of the most haunting tunes that I have ever heard, and played here with simplicity and beauty in a five minute long version. The three fiddle tune medleys that they play are toe tapping lively, and a nice counter point to the slow, haunting grandeur of Ashokan Farewell. Molly Mason sings The Faded Coat of Blue with a clear, honest voice, and Jay Unger puts his less than perfect vocal abilities to great use on the joking soldier's parody song Hard Crackers.
Jay and Molly thoroughly captivated their audience with this performance at Gettysburg College, and if you love old time folk and Civil War music, you too will be captivated by this charming live CD.

Theo Logos
May 11, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...