Since this project developed around the bicentennial of the War of 1812, we felt it appropriate to include a few musical selections concerning this period in America's history. "Perry's Victory" references a naval battle of the War of 1812 in which Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819) was commander of the American fleet that defeated and captured six vessels of the British Navy during the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. This is one of several tunes and songs written in praise of Perry. "Madison's Whim" appears in John Carr's First Book of Cotillions from 1801. We assume that the title is referring to James Madison, fourth president of the United States, Father of the Constitution and key author of the Bill of Rights. If not, it should be. In 1813, Madison received a gift of a crystal flute crafted by Claude Laurent of Paris. Whether Madison actually played the flute is a matter of speculation, though it would not be surprising, as the flute was a very popular gentleman's instrument during the early 19th century. This crystal flute is now part of the Dayton C. Miller Collection at the Library of Congress and is occasionally let out for concerts by renowned artists (which, as yet, has not included us).
