Search - Junkin: U of Texas -Wind Ens :: Bells for Stokowski

A real pleasure

Dr. Christopher Coleman | HONG KONG | 07/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hong Kong audiences know Jerry Junkin as the director of our very own Wind Philharmonia. But Junkin's regular gig, back in the states, is as conductor of both the University of Texas Wind Ensemble and the Dallas Wind Symphony. It's the former group performing on this CD and these college students play like real professionals. The standard of wind, brass, and percussion performance across the US is extremely high, and the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, thanks in no small part to Junkin's leadership, is one of the very best. It's clear watching Junkin conduct that he's not only a real showman, but also a fine musician whom the performers trust completely, and that relationship can be heard throughout this CD. The recording features two older works and two new pieces. In the former category is Ralph Vaughn Williams' English Folk Song Suite, a real standard for wind band, in a terrific rendition. Also in that category is an arrangement of 9 movements from Tielman Susato's The Danserye. The superb orchestration is a very colourful one by Patrick Dunnigan. Susato was a Renaissance composer, and a mixed consort of string and wind instruments would likely have played the pieces here, published in 1551. Dunnigan has adopted the idea of mixed timbres and added even more color with an imaginative use of percussion. It's not historically accurate, but it's very fun to hear. Two recent works from American composers round out the recording. David Del Tredici takes his inspiration from the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan. His piece, In Wartime, consists of two movements-Hymn and Battlemarch. Del Tredici has made a reputation as a bane of more progressive composers, keeping fairly strictly to a conservative tonal style and rarely coloring it with anything more dissonant. In Wartime tackles such emotionally charged material with such a relatively bland palate that it seems to me little more than pleasant, and the ending, with its fading siren, positively trivial. It does have some terrific moments, especially the beginning of the Battlemarch, but overall it fails to deliver on its promises. The final composition on the disc is quite the opposite. Michael Daugherty is another relatively conservative American composer. He first found notoriety with his Metropolis Symphony, inspired by the Superman comic. This embrace of popular culture by a so-called serious artist was reminiscent of Andy Warhol's position in the visual arts, and brought Daugherty immediate international attention. The piece on this disc, Bells for Stokowski, is a band transcription of one movement from Daugherty's orchestral suite Philadelphia Stories. It's an emotionally substantial piece, and Daugherty moves from one expressive moment to another with skill. At one point, a playful quotation from J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier appears as an accompaniment and grows wildly in rather unexpected directions in homage to Stokowski's penchant for rather free transcriptions. Throughout, Daugherty embraces techniques like polyrhythm and bitonality, but its all to an emotional point--he never moves so far into the avante guard that the music becomes fails to engage the listener. The finale of the piece is especially thrilling. Mention must be made of the superb recording quality. It's truly stunning--better even than live, and the stereo spacing, especially of the percussion in some of the works, really comes across. This disc is a real pleasure, pure and simple."

From a former UT musician

Esmail K | Texas | 12/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a former bassoonist with the UT Wind Ensemble (but not on this CD) I am very excited about this release, and not at all surprised at the quality of the performance. Professor Junkin is an extraordinary conductor who demands the most out of his players, from 1st trumpet to 3rd clarinet. It should be noted that the musicians rotate parts on different pieces. They are all principle players.



Overall I would criticize the fact that when listening to this CD it sounds as if you are sitting 30 rows back in a hall as opposed to right up near the stage. The piano sections really sound piano, and you have to crank up the volume to hear the details, which are georgeous. This is especially true on the Susato. The playing is wonderful and the phrasing and blending between the bassoons, oboes and clarinets is of the most professional quality, but its just not miked as well as Id like for a commercial CD. The percussion is brought out very clearly as another reviewer noted.



The overall blend of the ensemble is exquisite, especially among the brass. In many places there is a true "wall" of sound that is evenly matched from one section to another. It really does sound like an organ, and not just on the Daugherty. It is impressive to say the least.



Junkin is known for his ability to make the musicians in the ensemble bring their playing to life. The performance is full of expression. I found that the Del Tredici and Daugherty were better the second time I listened to them as there are many intricacies in each that need to be heard more than once to be fully appreciated. I would disagree with another poster that "In Wartime" has trivial qualities. On the contrary the siren at the end is a moving tribute to what the piece is about. As it fades into silence we are reminded again of the shock of what happened on 9-11.



A final comment would be that the horns do not project as well as I would have liked. This is of course due to the fact that the horn produces sound towards the back of the stage, but I had hoped that this could be accommodated through the miking process. The actual horn playing is first rate, just not as audible as one might like. Buy this CD for the music. It is fresh and unique and the performance is moving and exciting. As an alum I would merely say thanks to Prof. Junkin for being such a musical inspiration."

Exciting Wind Ensemble Work

rodboomboom | Dearborn, Michigan United States | 08/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard this on CBC radio and was entranced with the quality of the recording and the music, three premieres!



Dr. Coleman provides much of the history of the selected pieces. The Susato renditions are so reminiscent of Praetorius' collection of folk dances and are so lively and well pulled off here.



The Vaughan Williams marches are just exciting. I humbly disagree with the review of Tredici's "In Wartime." It is a powerful and sensitive musical account of some of the emotions surrounding war -- especially in our current setting -- love the intro with shades of Abide With Me then switching into battlemarch and "Salamati, Shah!" from Persia, laces with smidges of Wagner. Moving piece and enjoyable to listen to as it stirs ones emotions.



Daugherty's "Bells for Stokowski" is magnificent with its realized goal of sounding like a massive gothic pipe organ and transcribed Bach for which Stokowski was prominent. This will be replayed and enjoyed.



This deserves to be widely played due to its premieres and excellent recording as well as fine playing by this collegiate ensemble."