That CD image is not the same cover as the CD I have. Lowell Graham and the ACC Heritage of America Band released the Emblems disc in 1995, and Klavier acquired it and a number of other recordings, repackaging them to look much fancier than the original military releases. But I would not trade my disc for a new one. There is a measure of pride having the originals, and the quality of the recordings is outstanding. This disc in particular is one of the best in my collection in terms of performance and program. As with almost any recording, I have a few squabbles, so I will get those out of the way up front. William Schuman's An American Hymn lacks the warmth in its chorale passages that provide contrast to the more angular and aggressive middle. And Graham made the unusual choice of ending the disc with Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments. It is not an indictment of the classic work, though it is unusual to see it on a military band disc; however, it is anticlimactic, especially considering all of the thrilling works the precede it.
Other than that, I have no issues with this immaculate recording. The program is an exciting mix of newer and older works, some of which became favorites of mine. As a young teacher (I graduated with my music education degree from Northern Illinois University in 1995), the disc opened my mind to works I had never heard before. I began to consume as much wind band music as I could, leading me to purchase over 500 discs from 1992 to present, with the majority of them purchased in the 1990s. A big thank you to West Coast Music for providing many of them. I would purchase $1500 of discs each year as I sought to learn as much repertoire as I could. All because of recordings like Emblems. But I digress. The dynamic program is: Cheers! by Jack Stamp Dedication Overture by Vittorio Giannini Laude by Howard Hanson An American Hymn by William Schuman Prelude and Dance by Paul Creston Emblems by Aaron Copland New Dance by Wallingford Riegger Symphonies of Wind Instruments by Igor Stravinsky The Stamp, Giannini and Schuman are all serviceable interpretations. I would describe them as lesser works by each of the composers. They wrote other things for which they are better known, and are better works, in my opinion. The Stamp fanfares have a - shall we say, limited - scope, so recordings tend not to vary too much. Cheers! is an exciting version of a nice fanfare t and a great way to open the album. The Giannini is no Symphony No. 3, but it is a workman-like piece in Giannini's neo-romantic style. And the Schuman is an interesting, meandering work, similar to Chester in that it is a sort of theme and variations but lacking the latter's tightness of form and focus. Then there is the Hanson, Creston and Riegger, the undoubted highlights of the disc. I absolutely love Laude. Another theme and variations, it takes a majestic melody and takes it through seven transformations, many of which are unexpected. It is unpredictable in the best of ways. I was fortunate to be able to conduct Laude when I was Director of Bands at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Creston's Prelude and Dance and Riegger's New Dance are thrilling. I had never heard of Wallingford Riegger before I acquired this disc, and I was amazed that he composed New Dance in 1935. It sounds fresh and, indeed, "new." Its rhythms are infectious, and his Dance Rhythms is equally delightful (and probably more popular with bands). Prelude and Dance is in vintage Creston style, which I first heard when I performed his Celebration Overture in high school. The unusual harmonic motion and exotic melodies are present. Graham and his players execute it near flawlessly, evoking a strong sense of rubato at the beginning and driving to the invigorating finale. The last two works are by the most famous composers represented here: Copland and Stravinsky. Copland's Emblems is somewhat controversial in the band world. A number of conductors I have spoken to are not fans of the work, preferring that Copland would have written a more "Copland-esque" work. And I counted myself among that crowd for many years. Listening to it again here, I have to say that I appreciate what the ACC Heritage of America band does with the piece. Like the Schuman, it lacks direction at times as not every section seems to be going somewhere. I can better appreciate, though, the style of writing, as though Copland was channeling Schuman's George Washington Bridge with its tall, bold polytonal chords. I find myself involved in the piece more than I remember, going so far as to consider programming it in the future. (At the time of this writing, the COVID-19 virus is wreaking havoc on the country. The band world is not immune. I am still deciding how I will run my ensemble in the fall, from sectional rehearsals to chamber music. Hello Noble Numbers and Old Wine in New Bottles.) As I mentioned earlier, the Stravinksy is a good interpretation, but it lacks the polish of the orchestral recordings I own. The challenge of work appears to make it difficult for the players to get beyond the very difficult time and tempo shifts. I would have preferred this work midway through the disc as a palette cleanser between two of the larger works. Despite any complaints, this is an essential disc for wind band collectors. I am sure it is available physically and digitally, so take a listen to one of Lowell Graham's great contributions to the canon.
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AuthorBrian Shelton, DOB Archives
July 2022
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