Customer Reviews

Wind Band Music - Hindemith, P. / Holst, G. / Grainger, P. / Schwantner, J. (Trendsetters) (Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble, H.D. Parker)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Trendsetters, Music for Wind Band presents four standards of the wind band repertorie performed by one of the excellent wind bands in the Naxos stable. Unfortunately, the interpretations are rather ordinary. Hindemith's "Symphony in B-flat" lacks the bite of other performances. The shrill sounds of clarinets playing in the high register are not allowed to cut through the texture as they are in the Eastman Wind Ensemble's classic recording.
Holst's "First Suite for Military Band" is here almost one minute longer than other recordings. The slow performance takes the life out of the piece.
Schwantner's monumental "...and the mountains rising from nowhere" is the best performance on the CD. The percussion is allowed to shine through with out being overwhelming.
Grainger's "Lincolnshire Posey" is given an adequate, but not outstanding, performance.
The Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble has outstanding instrumentalists and has two pervious CDs released on Naxos that are five star rated. Their conductor Harlan D. Parker should realize that recordings of standards are the most difficult because reviewers have plenty of other recordings with which to compare.