Customer Reviews

Corigliano: Circus Maximus; Gazebo Dances for band

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Back in December of 2008, I had the privilege of witnessing a live performance of this marvelous piece played by the Ohio State University Wind Symphony. After the concert, I was in shock because this piece was so beautifully played and the use of surroundings was mind boggling; I had no idea a band was capable of this (even though I'm in a band). So, I began to obsess over the piece until I could find a recording of it in its entirety. Well, my wishes came true when I found out a CD was being released, so, I waited patiently until it would arrive. Now that it has arrived, it feels like I'm falling in love with this piece all over again. To all you fans of band music (like myself) or fans of John Corigliano (he wrote the music to "The Red Violin"), I would strongly recommend this CD. Gazebo Dances, another one of his pieces that is on this CD, is a great piece as well, but, in my opinion, it doesn't match the epic proporitions of Circus Maximus. So, I highly recommend this CD to everyone, but I also recommend trying to see this piece performed live.

Circus Maximus is scored for a stage band, a surrounding band, and a marching band. Unfortunately, you cannot get the full effects of this combination on a CD. However, notwithstanding, this is an excellent recording. It is difficult to summarize the music, in this, Corigliano's 3rd Symphony. It is certainly something out of the ordinary! In this recording, a large wind ensemble is used. The grand and wild entertainment, with its brutality, which fixated the ancient Roman Empire, is portrayed. Yet, it is done with modern music, so this intends to insinuate, that the types of entertainment and amusement which fixate our modern day society, is just as decadent as that of ancient Roman Society. The Symphony also seems to demonstrate the difference between the peace and order found in Nature, and the confusion and mayhem found in Human Society throughout history. Gazebo Dances is a respite from the complexity of the preceding work, with four melodic and relatively simple dances. I do recommend this recording, as a fine example of late 20th Century and early 21st Century music.