BCM...Saves the World

University of Nevada Las Vegas Wind Orchestra (Artist), Jonathan Newman (Composer), James Bonney (Composer), Steven Bryant (Composer), BCM International: Eric Whitacre (Composer), Thomas G. Leslie (Conductor), University of Nevada Las Vegas Wind Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: University of Nevada Las Vegas Wind Orchestra
• Conductor: Thomas G. Leslie
• Composer: Jonathan Newman, James Bonney, Steven Bryant, BCM International: Eric Whitacre
• Audio CD (December 1, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mark Records
• ASIN: B0001ZQ5L2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,444 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Noisy Wheels of Joy/Whitacre

2. Reflections in a Tidal Pool/Bonney

3. Interruption Overture/Bryant

4. OK Feel Good/Newman

5. Alchemy in Silent Spaces (I. the logic of all my dreams)/Bryant

6. Undle Sid/Newman

7. Cloudburst/Whitacre

8. Mvt. 1.0

9. Mvt. 2.0

10. Mvt. 3.0

11. Monkey/Bryant

12. Part 1

13. Part 2

Editorial Reviews

BCM International is a consortium of like-minded composers who create original works for symphonic winds. We are not a corporate entity, nor a publishing house. Our goal is to create music for the wind ensemble medium not bound by traditional thought or idiomatic cliché.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Band Music of the 21st century, May 11, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: BCM...Saves the World (Audio CD)

Do you like the classic band sound? Do you play Sousa marches on your CD player 24 hours a day? Can't get enough of those arrangements of movie music and orchestral standards? If this is the case then this is NOT the album for you. These 4 composers make it a point not to do anything of that sort. Their stated goal is "to create music for the wind ensemble medium not bound by traditional thought or idiomatic cliché" and, if this is truly the case, then I think they (and the superb UNLV Wind Orchestra) have suceeded in creating something that every kind of music fan will find appealing.

If you know Eric Whitacre's choral works, then you will be pleasantly surprised and deeply moved by his wind arrangement of 'Cloudburst.' You'll also laugh until you cry during 'Godzilla Eats Las Vegas' in proof positive that Whitacre (and the rest of BCM) have a wicked sense of humor.

Jonathan Newman's 'Uncle Sid' and 'OK Feel Good' are 2 other standouts for humor. The first is a twisted version of 'Hava Nagila' and if the second one doesn't bring a smile to your face at a certain point towards the end, then you have no soul.

Steven Bryant gets a bit more contemplative during his beautiful 'the logic of all my dreams.' He gets so much "lushness" (if that's a word) into the orchestration that you'll swear you hear strings.

At first glance, James Bonney doesn't strike one as a stereotypical composer in the classical sense. But he proves it nonetheless with his innovative 'Chaos Theory.' Who would ever think of putting a solo electric guitar with an ensemble known for 'Stars and Stripes Forever'? A member of BCM International...that's who!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BCM DOES save the World, September 27, 2007

By 

R. G. Southard - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BCM...Saves the World (Audio CD)

Four excellent young composers writing for a genre that needs outstanding repertoire. I highly recommend this CD!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No words can describe..., February 14, 2006

By 

James R. Anderson "Future Fire Medic" (Moore, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BCM...Saves the World (Audio CD)

I'm only a high school band student, so my knowledge of composers is somewhat limited. However, whenever my band director introduced Chaos Theory for our Marching performace my sophomore year, and my Senior year [this year] Equus by Whitacre [which sadly is not on this recording], I was AMAZED by these composers. The creativity, the personality, the EVERYTHING about the music of these writers is amazing - I don't know what you would like, but I liked this kind of random creativity, it's a good change.