Star-Spangled Symphony

For those of us involved in Albany Records, we feel that the music of Don Gillis is really "cross-over" music - music that can indeed make the interested listener cross-over to our side of the street where those of us are found who enjoy "serious" classical music. Real "cross-over" classical music is music that can be enjoyed by all who love serious music. There ARE many sides to classical music: Schoenberg and Charles Wuorinen are one side, Beethoven and Brahms are another and Don Gillis is another. They ALL can be loved by the serious listener! American Light represents music by composers we feel are legitimate composers of lighter music or music that will appeal immediately to a larger audience. Don Gillis knew the craft. He could make an orchestra sound as good as anyone. Toscanini knew this. This is why he hired him as the arranger for his NBC Orchestra. He could create memorable tunes with the best of them; tunes that would stick with you in your mind; tunes you would want to hear over and over again. And Gillis had his own unique character more so than so many other composers. You hear a piece of music by Gillis, you know it is by Gillis from almost the first measure. Actually, this is the second volume of the music of Don Gillis on Albany Records. Volume 1 is on Albany (TROY391) and is conducted by David Alan Miller with the Albany Symphony Orchestra. If you know that volume than you know what to expect from Gillis' music. If you do not, get this volume and go back and get the first one. Happily, here is music that is infectious, music that truly belongs to the "cross-over" genre in the best sense of the word.