Information
Composer: Morton Gould
- Fanfare for Freedom
- Saint Lawrence Suite
- Jericho Rhapsody
- Derivations for Solo Clarinet and Band
- Symphony No. 4 'West Point'
Stephanie Zelnick, clarinet
University of Kansas Wind Ensemble
Scott Weiss, conductor
Date: 2011
Label: Naxos
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ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 8
Morton Gould’s compositions for wind ensemble are masterly, and uniformly attractive. Derivations, written for Benny Goodman, effortlessly pays loving homage to jazz and popular music, just as the Jericho Rhapsody recalls the spiritual “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” (before a particularly graphic blast of percussion represents the calamitous climax of this particular battle). The “West Point” Symphony has long been regarded as a classic in its genre, while the St. Lawrence Suite (1958) was actually nominated for a Grammy Award–the only original work for wind band ever to earn that distinction (for what it’s worth).
Gould might best be characterized as a sort of American Prokofiev, with his own special brand of “wrong note Romanticism” that involves spicing up traditional melodies and harmonies with a contemporary dose of characterful dissonance and rhythmic sophistication. It works wonderfully well, and these fine performances do him full justice. Clarinetist Stephanie Zelnick plays Derivations with plenty of verve and swagger, though the engineers have placed her too close to the microphones to flatter her tone ideally. In all other respects, however, Scott Weiss and his University of Kansas forces do themselves proud, and as a program of important wind band repertoire, this disc is self-recommending. [10/6/2011]
-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday
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Morton Gould (December 10, 1913 – February 21, 1996) was an American composer, conductor, and pianist. Recognized early as a child prodigy, he studied at the Institute of Musical Art in New York. Gould composed Broadway scores, film music, music for television, and ballet scores. His music was commissioned by symphony orchestras all over the United States and was also commissioned by the Library of Congress, the American Ballet Theatre, and the New York City Ballet. As a conductor, Gould led all of the major American orchestras as well as those of Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
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Born in San Francisco in 1967, Scott Weiss received his musical training in trumpet performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and received both a master’s degree and a doctorate at the University of Illinois. Weiss is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Aiken Symphony and the Director of Orchestras at the University of South Carolina School of Music. A champion of new music, he has commissioned, premièred, and recorded dozens of new works by leading American composers. Weiss has several critically-acclaimed recordings on the Naxos Records and Summit Records labels.
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