It has been a long while since I posted a review. I figured, with the pandemic in full swing, it was time to restart. When it comes to University of Illinois recordings, the series conducted by Harry Begian is probably the gold standard. I find Begian's recordings a bit indulgent (i.e., slow) at times, but the playing is generally excellent. Even so, I decided to feature one of the many recordings by James Keene as the first on this list. The reason is more nostalgic than anything. This disc featured many pieces I was hearing for the first time: Liturgical Dances by Holsinger, "Profanation" by Bernstein, and a very charming version of Napoli as played by a euphonium quartet. (Incidentally, euphonium is my principal instrument.) As with others of Keene's recordings, the performances are inconsistent. But there is a spirit that I appreciate, and it is a fine collection of classic works that has an esteemed place in my collection.
The album opens with the Keith Wilson transcription of Hindemith's mouthful of a work, Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber. The orchestral original is one of his more approachable works, and the band transcription is outstanding. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am not a huge fan of large orchestral transcriptions, but it works marvelously here. That is largely due to the orchestration of the original. The strings are important, but many of the featured solos and melodies belong to the winds and, in the case of the second movement, percussion. The Illinois Band is solid overall. The biggest issue is the rushed feeling at times. The pacing of the second movement Turandot opening does not allow the music rest, giving it the space it needs. The third movement feels pushed, robbing the music of much of its melancholy. Thefourth movement starts quite brisk before settling into Hindemith's tempo. In the end, the ensemble tackles a challenging work well. The most disappointing selection is Mendelssohn's Overture for Band. The light, frothy work of a precocious young man is too lumbering in the hands of a large band, at the music suffers for it. The finale is exciting, but the piece begs for a group half the size performing it. The next three pieces are the reason to seek out the recording. "Profanation" from the Jeremiah Symphony by Leonard Bernstein is able to evoke the lithe quality required. The players clearly know how navigate the constantly shifting meter, and the transition from orchestra to band is smooth once again. The centerpiece of the album is also the most obscure work, and it is one I would love to conduct. Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Songs by Dmitri Shostakovich is patently Russian in its melodies and orchestration. The low reeds dominate the opening, and the richness of their sound is wonderful to hear. The fast section is well-controlled, and I appreciated the pacing of the final accelerando. There are not many recordings of this piece in my collection. The third work is David Holsinger's classic Liturgical Dances. This version, released in 1994, remains my favorite. It is hardly perfect. There is a tragic mute drop at one of the few quiet moments, and the ending is too slow for my taste. But the intonation is better than any other version I own, and the drive of the fast section is thrilling. The ending works at the slower tempo, but it lacks that little extra "oomph." But it is the benchmark for this piece. The CD eases to its finish with three light works. The first is Roger Nixon's Centennial-Fanfare March. To be frank, this march is not among my favorites. I find it repetitive and uninspiring. Other than its unmistakable energy and a really nice trio melody, there is not much else to recommend. What I would recommend is the Sousa march, The Federal. The chromaticism in the dogfight is delightfully unexpected, and the clarinets handle the obbligato line with aplomb. In a world where so many marches sound the same, this one is a gem. The album closes with a euphonium quartet version of Napoli. It is a little bit ridiculous but redeemed by the virtuoso playing of the quartet. It is a bang up way to end. As a side note, when I first joined the Wheaton Municipal Band in the early 1990's, one of my section mates was Mark Jirousek, one of the players in the quartet. That makes this recording a little more special. There are other, better Illinois recordings, and I will discuss some of them later. But for a great program performed well, you can't go wrong with In Concert Recording #125.
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AuthorBrian Shelton, DOB Archives
July 2022
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