James Oswald, Airs for the Four Seasons, Spring; Alice Lenaghan (flute) Jana Olvera (piano)

James Oswald (1710-1769) Airs for the Four Seasons, "Spring" (1755) The Crocus (Allegro assai) The Ranunculus (Aria) The Narcissus (Air-Giga) Ornamentation by the performers. Keys and Breeze Alice Lenaghan, flute Jana Olvera, piano Recorded live in recital March 14, 2015 Woodland Opera House Woodland, CA Scottish composer James Oswald had a passion for collecting and publishing volumes of Scottish folk tunes and melodies and often added his own set of variations. He also composed new Scottish melodies in traditional styles, set Robert Burns’ poetry to music, and composed in the more refined classical styles of the era. The Airs for the Four Seasons is quite a unique collection, especially for the Baroque period. Each season was originally published separately and consisted of 12 mini suites, containing one to four movements, totaling 96 pieces all together. Each suite was titled for a flower or shrub associated with the season. Oswald’s quirky melodic and harmonic writing combine with his Scottish rhythmic motives to create a fresh and delightful work. notes by Alice Lenaghan