Photo credit: Peter Lyons Hall L to R: Ken Korn, Amy Klein, and Deborah Proulx
By Peter Lyons Hall
WARWICK, NY — On Friday, July 23, 2026, a capacity crowd of 50 eager guests gathered at the Albert Wisner Library to journey back to the sounds of America’s early years to attend “The Sound of Independence.” The performance centered on the extraordinary talents of Thomas Jefferson, a true Renaissance man whose capabilities as a statesman, scientist, researcher, and architect were mirrored in his deep devotion to music.
Featuring the Kemyndable Trio, the event highlighted the library’s continued excellence as a community hub for enrichment. Recognized by Library Journal in 2016 as the “Best Little Library in America,” the institution remains a premier resource for entertainment and information, providing a perfect stage for this exploration of history and art. While history celebrates Jefferson as the author of the Declaration of Independence—hailed as the most consequential document ever written in English—the Trio revealed his private life as an ardent music lover.
The Trio’s program breathed new life into what was once the largest sheet music collection in the colonies. Jefferson’s library was so significant that, after the British burned Washington D.C. during the War of 1812, he sold his collection to the government to help rebuild the Library of Congress. Today, this “treasure trove” is meticulously cataloged by both the Library of Congress and the University of Virginia, offering a window into the Baroque and Classical eras.
Audiences were fascinated to learn of the musical partnership between Jefferson and his wife, Martha. While Thomas was an accomplished violinist, Martha was a skilled keyboard player, often performing on the harpsichord. She died in 1782, 19 years before Jefferson became president. The couple frequently performed together, a tradition they passed down to their daughters, who played keyboard and classical guitar. Because Jefferson’s family did not play the flute, the Kemyndable Trio performed unique arrangements of these string and keyboard works specifically for their trio of flutes.
The performance artfully illustrated Jefferson’s sophisticated tastes as a researcher. He was “not a slave to fashion,” seeking out the music of Antonio Vivaldi at a time when the composer was considered an obscure “has-been.” He also possessed an extensive collection of works and violin textbooks by Arcangelo Corelli, his favorite composer.
The Trio also explored the connection between Jefferson’s architectural genius and the music of the Enlightenment. Just as his design for Monticello is logical, symmetrical, and avoids “superfluous fluff,” the music of the Classical style—composed by greats like Franz Joseph Haydn—moved toward a refined clarity. The audience enjoyed Haydn’s “democratic” style, where the melody is shared equally among performers, reflecting the egalitarian ideals of the young nation.
In a compelling finale, the Trio performed the overture to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Although Jefferson owned no Mozart scores, he was a fervent admirer of the original play, which he saw while serving in Paris. Jefferson personally knew the playwright, Pierre Beaumarchais, a “gunrunner” who supplied vital armaments for the American Revolution. Jefferson championed the play’s revolutionary themes, which depicted servants outsmarting the aristocracy through wit—a narrative that resonated with his own vision for a changing world.
The Trio will be performing “The Sound of Independence” again in September 9 at the Monroe Library, and then again on October 18 at the Greenwood Lake Library. As our community reflects on the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Kemyndable Trio’s performance serves as a reminder that the intellectual and musical spirit of our founders continues to thrive within the walls of our local libraries.
