Fandango CD review
- Fandango CD review
FANDANGO - Eric Rombach-Kendall, cond; University of New Mexico Wind Symphony.
Philip Smith (tpt); Joseph Alessi (tbn) - SUMMIT SMT 271 (62:53)
GOLDSTEIN Colloquy. TURRIN Chronicle. Fandango. BOURGEOIS Concerto for Trombone and Concert Band. GRYC Evensong
Another fine CD of wind music from Summit. Two exceptional first-desk
New York Philharmonic players-Philip Smith on trumpet and Joseph Alessi
on trombone-team up with the outstanding University of New Mexico Wind Symphony for a program of compositions that neatly balance virtuosity, instrumental color, and substance.
The CD steps off in high spirits with Colloquy for trombone and symphonic band by New Jersey-bom William Goldstein (b. 1942), a former
student of Giannini and Flagello at the Manhattan School of Music, and a
veteran composer for TV and films. Written in 1967 "during a most difficult period of national angst," the youthful influence of Copland and Bernstein is felt, as the composer was "filled with a desire to inspire." The music is somewhat jazzy (with a particularly Bemsteinesque slow central section) and is infectiously swinging in its finale. A good showpiece.
Chronicles for trumpet and wind ensemble and Fandango for trumpet,
trombone, and symphonic band are the first commercially recorded works
of Joseph Turrin (b. 1947), whose splendid NYP-commissioned Trumpet
Concerto of 1988 is one of the highlights of the 1990 WQXR/NY
Philharmonic Radiothon Special Edition, Vol. 111, CD. Turrin, like
Goldstein, New Jersey born, a former student of Flagello at Manhattan,
and a veteran composer for TV and films, thus considers Chronicles (1998) his unofficial Second Trumpet Concerto; it is both driving and melodic, with a fanfare figure that recurs as a unifying element. The expected lyrical middle movement is nonetheless not devoid of tensions that are released in the somewhat processional finale.
The Trombone Concerto (1988) of English-bom, 59-year-old composer Derek Bourgeois has already become a staple of the trombone literature-in all
three of its versions: with orchestra, with brass band, and, as recorded here, with concert band. Formal though the concerto is-it is
conservative and Romantically tuneful-the piece is just plain irresistible. Themes are aubum-hued, and the nearly 10-minute first movement is nearly a miniature trombone concerto in its own right. The second movement, featuring a trombone quartet in places, offers elegant,
rich lines of a Malcolm Arnold-like, folksy character. The third
movement, a broad march in rondo form, is a slide-and-tongue twister for
the soloist.
Stephen Gryc (b. 1949), a St. Paul native, contributes Evensong for
trumpet and symphonic band (1999-2000), commissioned by the forces heard here. As its church-service title implies, Evensong is restrained and
hymnal. Ancient dorian and mixolydian modes tend a slightly dark edge to the music, and soloist Smith produces a beautifully controlled plaintive tone.
Joseph Turrin returns with the CDs eponymous Fandango for trumpet,
trombone, and symphonic band (2000). The piece is pure color and
syncopated, triple-time Spanish rhythms. Though rather fluffy, the
duo-solo composition provides a lively and satisfying summertime
band-concert conclusion to the program.
Music fans, ahoy! Regardless of the temperature as you read this, the
winds are up, and you should prepare to voyage to a Web site or store to seek out Fandango.
Stephen Ellis