Wine Dark Sea Archive

“Wine Dark Sea” Music by DAN WELCHER: Spumante; DONALD GRANTHAM: J’ai été au bal; FRANK TICHELI: Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble; JOHN MACKEY: Wine Dark Sea (Sym. for Band) – Nathan Williams (clar.) / The University of Texas Wind Ens./Jerry Junkin – Reference Recordings

by Audiophile Audition | May 25, 2016 | Classical CD Reviews

“Wine Dark Sea” Music by DAN WELCHER: Spumante; DONALD GRANTHAM: J’ai été au bal; FRANK TICHELI: Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble; JOHN MACKEY: Wine Dark Sea (Sym. for Band) – Nathan Williams (clarinet) / The University of Texas Wind Ensemble/Jerry Junkin (A world première recording) – Reference Recordings RR-137 HDCD, TT 69:41 (3/11/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: An exuberantly-played selection of contemporary wind music in demo quality sound. This impressive disc from Reference Recordings features four contemporary works for Wind Band played with precision by the University of Texas Wind Ensemble. I’ve always been partial to wind music, most likely after years of playing similar music when I had my trumpet in hand during high school and college. I loved the music of Persichetti, Nehlybel, Clifton Williams and more. So hearing these new works is a thrill, and this collection mixes some fine compositions with the predictably fine fidelity that Reference Recordings provides. Three of the pieces on the disc are shorter works for winds. Although everything on offer is quite good, the composition I found the most compelling is John Mackey’s Wine Dark Sea, his Symphony for Band, heard for the first time on disc in this premier […]