A unique collection of American romantic piano music, written largely in the last third of the 19th century, by Foote, Whiting, Paine, Chadwick and Nevin. In a period where in Europe piano music was in the hands of towering virtuosos like Liszt, Anton Rubinstein and later Rachmaninoff, the American scene was notably less tormented, focusing on tone painting idyllic landscapes, rural scenes and charming dance forms.
These genre pieces share the same delightful characteristics as their European pendants by Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Grieg, Gade, Sinding and others.
Young pianist Artem Belogurov (born in Latvia, grew up in Odessa/Ukraine and now lives in Boston) is a former student of Peter Serkin. For this recording he plays a beautiful period instrument, a 1873 Chickering piano. Chickering was one of the most respected and successful piano builders of the 19th century, Hans von Bülow premiered Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto in Boston on a Chickering, and Franz Liszt owned two of their instruments.
The booklet contains extensive liner notes on the music and composers, an artist biography and information and photos of the instrument.

“Here's an area of the piano's repertory that is not often visited...All six of these American composers were members of the Harvard Musical Association...None of them inhabits the summit of Mount Olympus; rather they toil happily in the sunlit foothills...while there is nothing too technically taxing for the pianist or demanding for the listener, these are well-crafted, melodic character-pieces of instant appeal.” Gramophone