# Great Works for Concert Band/Wind Ensemble



## Torkelburger

Please post your favorite works for concert band and wind ensemble. Can be written in the 20th or 21st century. If possible, please list title, composer, year composed, and performers.


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## Torkelburger

Title: Angels in the Architecture
Composer: Frank Ticheli
Year Composed: 2008
Performers: The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Frank Ticheli cond.


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## Heck148

Corigliano - Circus Maximus - Sym #3


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## Vasks

Howard Hanson - Chorale and Alleluia

Start at the 1:30 mark.


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## Heck148

20th Century - that would include all of the Holst and Vaughan Williams classics -- 
Suites for Band, Folksong Suite Hammersmith, etc....


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## Prodromides

Jolivet's first with me!










Fanfares Pour Britannicus (1946)
Trumpet Concerto No. 2 (1954)
Soir Et Défilé (1936)
Suite Transocéane (1955)


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## Prodromides

After pardoning my French, here is Finnish Jukka Linkola:










Saxophone Concerto, Sisu, etc.

...plus a(nother) Rautavaara album on Ondine https://www.ondine.net/index.php?lid=en&cid=2.2&oid=2553

A Requiem in Our Time (1953)
Playgrounds for Angels (1981)
Tarantará (1976) for Solo trumpet
Independence Fanfare (1992)
A Soldier's Mass (1968)
Octet for Winds (1962)
Hymnus (1998) for trumpet and organ


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## Heck148

Karel Husa - Music for Prague


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## Prodromides

Third stream avant-garde! https://moderecords.com/catalog/125colgrass/

Gunther Schuller's Symphony No.3 (1981) - for a minimum of 104 players - transforms the wind band into an agile, graceful and uniquely powerful ensemble. The ensemble engages in tutti playing for only a relatively small percentage of the piece, most often Schuller uses his enormous palette to paint a series of miniatures, building up to the large canvases only when the music is unable to resist its own momentum. Its' movements touch upon the music of Alec Wilder, waltzes, aleatoric passages, and big band.


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## Torkelburger

Heck148 said:


> Karel Husa - Music for Prague


Bingo! This is my #1 favorite piece for concert band and has been for 30 years. Why can't anyone write music like this anymore for concert band? No one even attempts it. The only person who really has, is the Corigliano who you mentioned previously which is also a great piece. It's just a shame John doesn't have a large repertoire in this genre.

Nowadays, it just seems almost every composer either young or old wants to write a fanfare, march, or John Williams second rate rip-off pastiche. I am so tired of it. I want the old days back. And you can do new things with the old approach to things, like what Corigliano did. Ticheli seems to be a link between both worlds. But there aren't many. That's why I stick with the old stuff when I listen (and I regularly listen to this music). I do keep my ear to the ground on the new stuff coming out, but I usually turn it off after a little while, as it is usually the same old same old business as usual.


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## Heck148

TB - You must be familiar with the many Fennell/EWE recordings...some really good band works....i esp like "3 Japanese Dances" by Bernard Rogers....
Music for Prague is really excellent...i played it with Eastman Wind Ensemble c. '69...what a blast!!


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## Torkelburger

Incredible! Yes, those are legendary. Dr. Fennell set the gold standard for all conductors in this field to follow. What was great too was that he was open to different interpretations throughout his life. One way of doing things with a certain piece wasn't always set in stone and he may have changed the way he did things decades later. I believe he did that with _Lincolnshire Posy._ Great conductor in any field, really.


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## arpeggio

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Heck148

Torkelburger said:


> Incredible! Yes, those are legendary. Dr. Fennell set the gold standard for all conductors in this field to follow. What was great too was that he was open to different interpretations throughout his life. One way of doing things with a certain piece wasn't always set in stone and he may have changed the way he did things decades later. I believe he did that with _Lincolnshire Posy._ Great conductor in any field, really.


Yes, he was a great conductor!! He really set standards....not just for band/wind ensemble, either...

One of my favorites is the Wagner - "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" from Lohengrin [transcribed by L. Cailliet] - long crescendo - starting very soft, building to huge, spectacular climax...great stuff!!
His Holst Suites, VW English Folk Song Suite are still the best, after many decades....


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## Heck148

the Dallas Wind Symphony recordings are very good, also - some great collections - [Fennell, Howard Dunn]

-the Fiesta Disc
-Pomp & Pipes
-Trittico
- Holst

"La Fiesta Mexicana" - H. Owen Reed - is a wonderful band piece....some fine recordings have been made - Fennell, Dunn, Hunsberger...


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## Torkelburger

Yep, played the Reed piece in 12th grade and loved it. My favorite part was the low brass stuff in I believe the first movement that was like chase music/action music (sounded sort of like a Western) and then when it built up, there was this syncopated upbeat suspended cymbal rhythm and our percussionist always played the heck out of it on the bell and I always loved that part.


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## Torkelburger

I'll mention some old school pieces to get them out of the way. I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted/preaching to the choir here, as I'm sure we've all played these a million times, but in case any lurkers are interested in learning about this genre, here are some masterpieces:

Hindemith's Symphony in Bb

Holst--Two Suites, one in Eb and one in F

Peter Mennin--Canzona. I love, love, love this. It's like a tiny little window into his symphonic vocabulary, which is so wonderful. (2nd fav piece)

William Schuman--Chester

Vincent Persichetti--the master. Symphony No. 6 for Band, Divertimento, Pageant.

Vittorio Giannini--Symphony No. 3.

Percy Grainger--to many wonderful pieces to name.

John Barnes Chance--Incantation and Dance

Ron Nelson--Rocky Point Holiday

And Sousa, of course. Has anyone played any Karl King marches (old school)? Much simpler than Sousa, but still a lot of fun.

Has anyone played Schoenberg's Theme and Variations he wrote for band? I've never played it and I don't listen to it very often.


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## Vasks

I like whatever this composer creates and with this work, it's considered a classic


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## Heck148

Torkelburger said:


> I'll mention some old school pieces to get them out of the way. I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted/preaching to the choir here, as I'm sure we've all played these a million times, but in case any lurkers are interested in learning about this genre, here are some masterpieces:
> 
> Hindemith's Symphony in Bb
> 
> Holst--Two Suites, one in Eb and one in F
> 
> Peter Mennin--Canzona. I love, love, love this. It's like a tiny little window into his symphonic vocabulary, which is so wonderful. (2nd fav piece)
> 
> William Schuman--Chester
> 
> Vincent Persichetti--the master. Symphony No. 6 for Band, Divertimento, Pageant.
> 
> Vittorio Giannini--Symphony No. 3.
> 
> Percy Grainger--to many wonderful pieces to name.
> 
> John Barnes Chance--Incantation and Dance
> 
> Ron Nelson--Rocky Point Holiday
> 
> And Sousa, of course. Has anyone played any Karl King marches (old school)? Much simpler than Sousa, but still a lot of fun.
> 
> Has anyone played Schoenberg's Theme and Variations he wrote for band? I've never played it and I don't listen to it very often.


All great works for wind ensemble....Holst 1st Suite in Eb is a perfect gem...really outstanding....
love the finale to Giannini Sym #3!!

Karl King wrote great marches!! so did Henry Fillmore....you must be familiar with Fennell/EWE "Screamers" disc?? all circus marches - played at breakneck speed....great fun....Entry of Gladiators [Fucik], Them Basses [G. Huffine], Rolling Thunder [Fillmore], etc, etc....great stuff!! It was his last EWE recording....


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## arpeggio

George Rochberg composed a significant 12-tone work for band: _Apocalyptica_

Link to the Wind Repertory Project: https://www.windrep.org/Apocalyptica

Even though it is still available from Thoedore Presser (https://www.presser.com/115-40075-apocalyptica.html) I have not heard of a performance in many years.

I remember hearing an old recording with the MIT Band and I was very impressed.


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## Heck148

Corigliano - Gazebo Dances [1972]

He uses the final mvt "Tarantella" theme in his Symphony #1....


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## arpeggio

Heck148 said:


> Corigliano - Gazebo Dances [1972]
> 
> He uses the final mvt "Tarantella" theme in his Symphony #1....


Can you do that nasty bassoon lick in the first movement?

I can't.


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## Torkelburger

arpeggio said:


> George Rochberg composed a significant 12-tone work for band: _Apocalyptica_
> 
> Link to the Wind Repertory Project: https://www.windrep.org/Apocalyptica
> 
> Even though it is still available from Thoedore Presser (https://www.presser.com/115-40075-apocalyptica.html) I have not heard of a performance in many years.
> 
> I remember hearing an old recording with the MIT Band and I was very impressed.


Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention! I've never heard of this! I will check into this tonight when I get home from work. This is a brilliant composer, one of the best this country has produced, and this is right up my alley for the type of concert band music I love and write. Thanks again!


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## Bwv 1080

Messiaen wrote some great ones - 

Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum

also including piano
La Ville d'en haut
Couleurs de la Cité Celeste

also Stravinsky's Symphony of Wind Instruments


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## arpeggio

I just discovered an independent label from Holland that has many unique recordings :https://www.mirasound.nl/wwm/index.html

I have been listening to the following CD on the Naxos Music Library: https://www.mirasound.nl/wwm/contents/en-uk/p57.html

It is a mixed bag of recordings of various groups.

For those who are looking for more adventurous works the Rolf Rudin _ Vom Ende der Zeit, eine Vorahnung _ is interesting.

Nice performance of the Camphouse _Music for Rosa_.

Strange transcription of excerpts from the _Symphonic Dances_ of Serge Rachmaninoff.


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## Torkelburger

Oh yes, I forgot. I played the Stravinsky in college. I remember really liking the tuba part. I remember too even when first playing this one long phrase that it was the exact same backwards as it was forwards (an exact palindrome). I thought it was so neat.

We also played the Stravinsky PC in college. At my college, we had an annual concerto competition and my freshman year a pianist won it with the Stravinsky PC. I had never heard of it. And man, I'll never forget hearing it for the first time when we rehearsed it. They actually had the piano right next to me (I play tuba). I couldn't take my eyes off of this guy. He was totally going for it. He rocked it. The sound he got from that piano was incredible. I just couldn't believe the music I was hearing. And then in the ensemble there was no string instruments. I remember afterwards, I asked my director if we were playing the real thing or this was an arrangement and he said "Yes, Adam, you're playing the real thing." I was so glad.


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## Torkelburger

Title: and the mountains rising nowhere
Composer: Joseph Schwantner
Year Composed: 1977
Performer: University of Michigan Symphony Band, Michael Haithcock, cond.


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## Heck148

arpeggio said:


> Can you do that nasty bassoon lick in the first movement?
> I can't.


I've never played it, haven't seen the score....


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## arpeggio

Heck148 said:


> I've never played it, haven't seen the score....


The bassoon has a rapid 5 16th note lick where they have to play low Bb C D C Bb.


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## Heck148

arpeggio said:


> The bassoon has a rapid 5 16th note lick where they have to play low Bb C D C Bb.


Does it repeat over and over??


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## arpeggio

Heck148 said:


> Does it repeat over and over??


Yes, several times. One can hear it right at the beginning. What makes it hard is that one has to tongue it. ta ta ta ta ta twice in succession and a few beats later again.


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## arpeggio

I just checked out the score online and it appears that it has been changed and it is up an octave.


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## Xenophiliu

Edward Elgar
Severn Suite for brass band
1930

I actually prefer Elgar's orchestral version, although Alfred Reed transcribed it for concert band too. Still, I have always liked this work in all of its forms, including as an Organ Sonata.

This video has scholar Stephen Arthur Allen giving a brief word before the performance and a nice in-depth talk about the work following it as well.


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## Heck148

arpeggio said:


> I just checked out the score online and it appears that it has been changed and it is up an octave.


LOL!! Good!! Fast tonguing in low register can be tricky....Francaix Serenade:
Fast tonguing - 4 low Bbs to a low Eb, solo....
> > > > ----
Jump right in!! Don't be late!!


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## Vasks

I have had the Fennell Mercury LP of this work like "forever". But for a fresh perspective and better sonics here's one


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## arpeggio

I realize that this is a transcription, but I have just discovered a performance of the 1st & third movements of the Rachmaninov _Symphonic Dances_ with the Baden-Württemberg wind orchestra.






I have felt this work would transcribe well for concert band.

Now we have to get the second movement.


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## Becca

^^ celli & bass ... that's cheating :lol:


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## arpeggio

Becca,

It is not uncommon to find cellos and the double bass in concert bands. 

The double bass is pretty standard in most bands.

At one time the United States Air Force Band had cellos.


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## Rogerx

SOUSA The Charlatan (1898) - "The President's Own" United States Marine Band
Does this count, I like it so much.


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## arpeggio

*Sousa Non-Marches*

Sousa composed many non-marches for band.

An example is _Looking Upward Suite_. I have performed it and it is an amazing work. My favorite is the second movement.






Reminds me of Offenbach.


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## Heck148

Rogerx said:


> SOUSA The Charlatan (1898) - "The President's Own" United States Marine Band
> Does this count, I like it so much.


Yes, for sure.....


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## Vasks

David Diamond's work about hunting with horses: *Tantivy*


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## fluteman

Heck148 said:


> TB - You must be familiar with the many Fennell/EWE recordings...some really good band works....i esp like "3 Japanese Dances" by Bernard Rogers....
> Music for Prague is really excellent...i played it with Eastman Wind Ensemble c. '69...what a blast!!


I had the pleasure of playing a concert under Fennell, including the Holst Suite no. 1 iirc. A great, inspiring musician with contagious enthusiasm, and a great guy generally. One band composer I first encountered in high school who I think is much underrated is Paul Creston, a master of brass fanfares and the tin pan alley sensibility in both its upbeat and sentimental forms.


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## arpeggio

I played _Lincolnshire Posey_ with Fennell. Great musician and great human being.


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## Xenophiliu

Before his choral music fame came a-calling, I always thought it was unfortunate Eric Whitacre abandoned wind ensemble music (other than his subsequent arrangements from choral music). His music had a minimalist feel to it, with an obvious sense of humor, but since he never honed his skills for concert band, who knows what would have come of it.

*Ghost Train **Triptych *(1993) - Rutgers Wind Ensemble






*Gawd$illa Eats Las Vegas! *(1996) - University of Las Vegas Wind Symphony


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## arpeggio

^^^^^^^^^^
I have performed both works.

_The Ghost Train_ was a student work he composed as an undergraduate.


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## Rogerx

I found these in my own collection:
Reicha: Wind Quintets/Saint-Saëns: Music For Wind Ensemble/Krommer: Partitas for Wind Ensemble ,
Hope there is something you like.


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## Heck148

Reposted from another thread:

For Wind ensemble/concert band afficionados:

Have any of you heard of:

Carlos Surinach - <<*Paeans and Dances from Heathen Iberia*>>

I played this at Eastman, with Don Hunsberger [Fennell's successor] - wonderful piece, really excellent...should be a repertoire standard....We made a recording of it back in the late 60s-'70, for Polygram, iirc [long time ago] - also on the LP were H. Owen Reed - "*Fiesta Mexicana*", and Roger Nixon - "*Fiesta del Pacifico*" - great record, sadly, never, tmk, made it to CD.

I was listening Fennell's recording of "*La Fiesta Mexicana*" - which is really great, in terrific sound - Mercury 1954!! I think it was the first batch of recordings that Mercury did with Fennell/EWE....amazing sound - the percussion battery sounds great - notoriously difficult to record, due to huge dynamic and frequency range...

Howard Dunn/Dallas Wind Symphony recorded a fine "La Fiesta Mex..." - for Reference Recordings....very excellent...The Nixon piece is included as well....Dunn also recorded on the same disc - Clifton Williams - "*Symphonic Dance #3 'Fiesta'*" - which is a real rouser!! neat piece.....Williams is probably best known for the standard - "*Fanfare and Allegro*"

I think of the 3 "Fiesta Mexicanas", tho, I might give Hunsberger a slight edge, tho I've got to give it another listen - I transcribed the LP to metal cassette a long time ago...[can I even find it?? ]


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## fluteman

Heck148 said:


> I think of the 3 "Fiesta Mexicanas", tho, I might give Hunsberger a slight edge, tho I've got to give it another listen - I transcribed the LP to metal cassette a long time ago...[can I even find it?? ]


OK, I found a sealed copy of the Hunsberger Fiesta! LP on ebay and pulled the trigger. When I have time, I'll make a digital audio file of it. This thread is definitely costing me some $.


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## Vasks

fluteman said:


> OK, I found a sealed copy of the Hunsberger Fiesta! LP on ebay and pulled the trigger. When I have time, I'll make a digital audio file of it. This thread is definitely costing me some $.


It's a fine album. I've owned mine since it was first issued.


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## fluteman

Vasks said:


> It's a fine album. I've owned mine since it was first issued.


Oh, dear, you're dating yourself there!  Of course, I'm dating myself when I mention that the first classical music concert I attended was also the first ever PDQ Bach concert.


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## Vasks

fluteman said:


> Oh, dear, you're dating yourself there!  Of course, I'm dating myself when I mention that the first classical music concert I attended was also the first ever PDQ Bach concert.


I went to a PDQ Bach concert in Philly long, long ago. It was a hoot.


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## fluteman

Vasks said:


> I went to a PDQ Bach concert in Philly long, long ago. It was a hoot.


Johnny Carson was a fan, and when Peter Schickele was a guest on his show he conducted the Tonight Show Orchestra in a PDQ work that is quite appropriate for this thread. For those of you who had the misfortune of not watching TV that night, here it is:


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## Heck148

Vasks said:


> I went to a PDQ Bach concert in Philly long, long ago. It was a hoot.


I got to play the 2ble reed slide tromboon on PDQ Bach's "The Seasonings" many years back...
one of the toughest gigs I ever played - it's tough to play when everyone around you is LTAO!! including the soloist, the conductor and the chorus!!
One of these days, I'm going to do a write-up on it....it was a real hoot!!:lol:


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## fluteman

Heck148 said:


> I got to play the 2ble reed slide tromboon on PDQ Bach's "The Seasonings" many years back...
> one of the toughest gigs I ever played - it's tough to play when everyone around you is LTAO!! including the soloist, the conductor and the chorus!!
> One of these days, I'm going to do a write-up on it....it was a real hoot!!:lol:


My sister sang in the Missa Hilarious in (then) Avery Fisher Hall. Ahhhh men! Ahhhh women! Ahhhh choo!


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## Vasks

Heck148 said:


> one of the toughest gigs I ever played - it's tough to play when everyone around you is LTAO!! including the soloist, the conductor and the chorus!!


And that reminds me of the time I was playing a trumpet solo with piano at the front of a church sanctuary and a kid in the first row right in front of me was making faces and clamoring and talking. Talk about a tough gig to keep playing without losing it.


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## arpeggio

Heck148 said:


> Have any of you heard of:
> 
> Carlos Surinach - <<*Paeans and Dances from Heathen Iberia*>>
> 
> I played this at Eastman, with Don Hunsberger [Fennell's successor] - wonderful piece, really excellent...should be a repertoire standard....We made a recording of it back in the late 60s-'70, for Polygram, iirc [long time ago] - also on the LP were H. Owen Reed - "*Fiesta Mexicana*", and Roger Nixon - "*Fiesta del Pacifico*" - great record, sadly, never, tmk, made it to CD.


Yes, I have that LP.

There is nice live performance of it on You Tube. I will try to find it.


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## arpeggio

In another thread there was a discussion concerning the pros and cons of the Fennell recording of the Holst Suites with the Cleveland Symphonic Winds.

I thought I would submit my feelings about recordings of the Holst Suites here.

I have over a dozen recordings of the works in my library and access to many additional recordings on the Naxos music web site.

Most of the recordings are either nines or tens. I have some personal disagreements with some of the interpretations.

My favorite is a toss-up between the following:

Duncan Stubbs conducting the Central Band of the Royal Air Force on Chandos (I discovered this recording on the Naxos Web Site and I just ordered it).

Timothy Reynish conducting the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra also on Chandos.

The one I would avoid is an old recording of Imogen Holst conducting the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.


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## fluteman

Heck148 said:


> Reposted from another thread:
> 
> For Wind ensemble/concert band afficionados:
> 
> Have any of you heard of:
> 
> Carlos Surinach - <<*Paeans and Dances from Heathen Iberia*>>
> 
> I played this at Eastman, with Don Hunsberger [Fennell's successor] - wonderful piece, really excellent...should be a repertoire standard....We made a recording of it back in the late 60s-'70, for Polygram, iirc [long time ago] - also on the LP were H. Owen Reed - "*Fiesta Mexicana*", and Roger Nixon - "*Fiesta del Pacifico*" - great record, sadly, never, tmk, made it to CD.
> 
> I was listening Fennell's recording of "*La Fiesta Mexicana*" - which is really great, in terrific sound - Mercury 1954!! I think it was the first batch of recordings that Mercury did with Fennell/EWE....amazing sound - the percussion battery sounds great - notoriously difficult to record, due to huge dynamic and frequency range...
> 
> Howard Dunn/Dallas Wind Symphony recorded a fine "La Fiesta Mex..." - for Reference Recordings....very excellent...The Nixon piece is included as well....Dunn also recorded on the same disc - Clifton Williams - "*Symphonic Dance #3 'Fiesta'*" - which is a real rouser!! neat piece.....Williams is probably best known for the standard - "*Fanfare and Allegro*"
> 
> I think of the 3 "Fiesta Mexicanas", tho, I might give Hunsberger a slight edge, tho I've got to give it another listen - I transcribed the LP to metal cassette a long time ago...[can I even find it?? ]


OK, I finally had a chance to listen to the record you made at Eastman with Donald Hunsberger. Terrific performances, interesting music, and, though it isn't the first thing I focus on, great audiophile sound quality. I bought the 1980 reissue, which turns out to have been remastered for MCA/Westminster by Larry Boden, a well-known recording engineer (the original 1968 LP was on the American Decca label).

And the music -- Reed was a student of Hanson and Rogers at Eastman, Nixon studied with Bliss, Bloch and Sessions in LA, and Surinach was from Spain but lived and worked in the US for most of his career. All three interesting composers. Excellent work, Heck148, I'm sure you're proud of that record.



arpeggio said:


> In another thread there was a discussion concerning the pros and cons of the Fennell recording of the Holst Suites with the Cleveland Symphonic Winds.
> 
> I thought I would submit my feelings about recordings of the Holst Suites here.


Thanks, I'll have to check out your recommendations. Once my ears stop ringing from all those wind band spectaculars, of course!


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## arpeggio

I found the nice video of the Carlos Surinach - _Paeans and Dances from Heathen Iberia_ with the Portland Youth Philharmonic:


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## arpeggio

Just acquired a new CD with the North Texas Wind Symphony on the Gia Lable.

It has some interesting new music for band:

John Mackey: _Sasparilla_
Paul Dooley: _Masks & Machines_
Jun Nagio: _The Earth from the Planets for Trouver_ (This works quotes several works of Holst)
Adam Schoenberg: _American Symphony_
Jundrich Feld: _Divertimento_
John Corigliano: _Elegy_
Michael Daugherty: _Rio Grande_

Link to site on the Gia Site: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/discoveries-recording-cd1005


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## Heck148

Some notable additions to the fine wind ensemble music:

Vaughan Williams - Sym #8/II - Scherzo a la marcia - this is for orchestral winds only, and stands well by itself as a wind ensemble piece....I've read it once, never performed it....neat piece

It reminds me of Beethoven's excellent works for wind ensemble - 
3 Marches - 2 in F, one in Bb - WoO 18, 19, 20
Polonaise - WoO 21
Ecossaise - WoO 22
March for Wind 6tet WoO 29 [Clar, Hn, Bssn]

and of course -

3 Equale for 4 trombones WoO 30


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## arpeggio

I thought there was an old thread dedicated to band music.
With this new platform I found it
The Concert Band Thread


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