Univ of Texas Wind Ensemble?

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 5:48 pm

I heard the UT Wind Ensemble play Corigliano's "Circus Maximus" at the TMEA Conference in Feb.

What an AMAZING piece of music! From the first notes, I knew I was in for a unique performance. Corigliano is a composer with a wide harmonic vocabulary but still retains the ability to speak to a large audience. He is, of course, one of the pre-emminent living composers.

His extremely favorable comments about working with a "band" for the first time seemed to hint that, not only will he be writing again for band, but that other composers will be joining him.

The Wind Ensemble's performance was stunningly good! I was amazed at the fine performance of the brass section (especially the tubas and the antiphonal trumpets).

For me, it was a profound music experience.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:21 pm

There are a few folks in the UT Wind Symphony that drop by Tubenet every now and then...

As for Circus Maximus, what was played at TMEA was unfinished. The first full performance is/was (can't remember when that concert is/was) at Carnegie Hall, also by the UT Wind Symphony.

It's a pretty cool contemporary piece.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:22 pm

Fortissimosca wrote:Is Jerry Junkin still the director?

Yes.

Also of the Dallas Wind Symphony.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:26 am

UF_pedal_tones wrote:I'm not really sure what you are talking about with the TMEA (i'm assuming texas music ed conference), but the "world premiere" of this piece was in Carnegie Hall about 5 weeks ago.

True.

The recording I have seems to have been done a month previous to that in a concert at UT. Kinda interesting to play a piece a month before it's premiere.

Also true, except that the recording was done at Roundtop (home of the Texas Music Festival) as soon as the work had been completed.

It may be that the recording I have is from that TMEA concert, which, in that case, means that it IS complete.

I know for a fact that what was done at TMEA was a bunch of selected excerpts and that they did do a sizable portion of the piece but that they didn't record it there and that the piece wasn't totally finished yet.

We're going to be the second group to do it.

Very likely...the piece is BRAND NEW

Tubadan · Post by **Tubadan** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:42 am

I believe it was performed in Carnegie Hall on Feburary 25. I was there but unable to attend because I was in a rehearsal.

r smith · Post by **r smith** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 11:52 pm

Hi. Can you please let me know who the publisher of Circus Maximus is and if there is a recording available that I can listen to. I am in a adult Community Band and we are always looking for good new material.

Cheers
Ron.

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:13 pm

The piece is not yet published.

It calls for 11 antiphonal trumets, antiphonal sax/bass combo, antiphonal small band in addition to a standard Wind Band.

In case you are interested, it's very difficult to play and conduct. Not difficult like "Marriage of Figaro" but difficult like "from the mountains rising nowhere' multiplied.