Continuum: The Mysterious Barricades

By Milton G. Scheuermann Jr.

Published November 2, 2014 at 6:00 AM CST

This week on Continnum Milton Scheuermann and Thais St. Julien present harpsichord music by the French composer and harpsichordist, Francois Couperin (1668-1733).

His most intriguing harpsichord work without a doubt is "The Mysterious Barricades". Music historians and scholars have never been able to give a reason for the name of the composition. Perhaps Couperin had a future vision of the many streets in uptown New Orleans now being closed by barricades and repaired as a result of hurricane Katrina, nine years ago.

The harpsichord pieces are performed by New Orleans born Skip Sempe. The CD is Francois Couperin - Pieces de Clavecin, on the Deutsche Harmonia Mundi label, 77219-2-RC

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Milton G. Scheuermann Jr.

Milton has been the co-host (with Thais St. Julien) of Continuum since 1976. He is a true New Orleanean, born on Mardi Gras day, attending P. A. Capdau Grammar School and Warren Easton High School. After completing the five year program of the Tulane School of Architecture in 1956 he was drafted into the Army. After a two year stint in the combat engineers in Germany he returned to New Orleans to work with the architectural firm of Goldstein, Parham & Labouisse, becoming an associate in the firm of Parham & Labouisse after Mr. Goldstein’s death. He was appointed University Architect for Dillard University in 1972 and retired from that position in 2002.

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