Encore Concerto
Don Gillis (composer)
And now for the serious side of Don Gillis...Yeah, right! Actually, in both the "Encore" Concerto and the Harp Rhapsody (written for the NBC Symphony's Edward Vito), one can hear some very serious thoughts being bandied about, but nearly all of these pieces represent high spirits and good, clean fun. "Twinketoes" was originally meant for a ballet about a crippled girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina, and surgery allows her to fulfill her destiny. But Gillis lost interest in the soap-operish plot. Instead, he assembled a suite, and we have the opening number, as sprightly as any Broadway overture, and with enough humor to keep Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck going. And we also have one of his last works, the whirlwind Rhapsody for Trumpet, which shows some more modern touches (bongo drums!). The Short Overture is a concise ball of energy, not really for any proposed opera, but a great curtain-raiser just the same.
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Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Twinkletoes | Don Gillis | Sinfonia Varsovia, Ian Hobson, conductor |
| Rhapsody for Harp and Orchestra | Don Gillis | Sinfonia Varsovia, Ian Hobson, conductor, Anna Sikorzak-Olek, harp |
| The Encore Concerto | Don Gillis | Sinfonia Varsovia, Ian Hobson, conductor, Ian Hobson, conductor |
| Short Overture to an Unwritten Opera | Don Gillis | Sinfonia Varsovia, Ian Hobson, conductor |
| Rhapsody for Trumpet and Orchestra | Don Gillis | Sinfonia Varsovia, Ian Hobson, conductor, Krzysztof Bednarczyk, trumpet |
Reviews
- “
"...music that is always beautifully crafted, strongly melodic, often using Latin and jazzy inflections. ... I loved this disc."
- “
"...Ian Hobson and the Sinfoia Varsovia here give us a sparkling collection of five short works which show Gillis off at his most engaging and inventive...What a wonderful undertaking this series has turned out to be. This disc is a good place for the Gillis novice to begin his explorations."
- “
"'Thank you' is certainly inadequate but I don't know what else to say. I am 67 years old and have loved the music of Don Gillis since I was in grade school and never in my lifetime did I expect to hear his symphonies...Thank you so much for the music of Don Gillis, probably the most underrated of all modern American composers. With these releases, maybe the wise listeners of good music will rightfully upgrade him. He certainly is deserving."
*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.