Three concertos by three American composers for wind ensemble. For their first commercial recording, the Alabama Wind Ensemble offers three concertos by American composers. James Beckel’s The Glass Bead Game is a horn concerto loosely based on the Hermann Hesse novel of the same name. Scott McAllister’s Black Dog is a rhapsody for solo clarinet and wind ensemble, inspired by Led Zeppelin’s rhapsodic-style song Black Dog. David Maslanka’s Trombone Concerto is a memorial to Christine Capote, a flutist and teacher who was a dear friend. The performers and conductor Kenneth Ozzello are all faculty members at the University of Alabama.
"This disc features works for various solo instruments and wind ensemble in first-rate performances captured in excellent sound... All three soloists and the (University of) Alabama Wind Ensemble distinguish themselves at a very high level. The recorded sound is clear and well balanced between soloist and ensemble."
Merlin Patterson - Fanfare - November/December 2011
