Customer Reviews

Gould: West Point Symphony; Hovhaness: Symphony No. 4 & Giannini: Symphony No. 3

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We lovers of music for symphonic band owe a lot to the pioneering recordings of Frederick Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Here are three wonderful performances of three classic band works. Gould's West Point Symphony is full of martial spirit, but is tender and expressive as well. Giannini's Symphony is bold and exuberant, with a wistful slow movement. Hovhannes work is full of Eastern atmosphere, with it's long melismic solos and evocative brass chorales. Together, under the expert direction of Fennell and his associate, A. Clyde Roller, they make for a richly varied and thoroughly enjoyable program.

What a strange and wonderful collection of band music. I especially like the solos for piccolo, bass clarinet, and CONTRABASSOON. The brass harmonies in Hohvaness are a perfect example of erethreal beauty. The ominous CONTRABASSOON solo is very different to hear in a band work. The marimba solos are in 19/8 and 20/8 meter. The other works are also wonderful to listen to.

The Eastman Wind Ensemble's recordings of Giannini's Symphony No. 3 and Hovhaness' Symphony No. 4 came at the end of the Frederick Fennell era, when he handed off the baton to A. Clyde Roller in 1962. The sound of the group is perhaps never as close to perfection as in these three works (including Gould's West Point Symphony). As a French horn player, I appreciate the slightly more important emphasis given to the horn section in these recordings, which is merited by the music -- especially the long chorale sections in the Hovhaness.

While I purchased this CD for the West Point, I find it hard to agree with the reviewers that either the Gould or the Giannini are classic works of the wind ensemble repertoire. In particular, the Giannini seems very pedestrian to me; there is not much to distinguish it from several other band works by lesser composers during the 50s and 60s, except for a technically challenging and engaging fourth movement. The Hovhaness is a foot closer to classic music, and those who are already fans of this foreshadowing American conundrum will not be disappointed by this performance.