Gillis: Symphony 1 & 2

 

Like many, I was introduced to the music of U.S. composer Don Gillis on a 2000s recording from Albany Records. At that time, Dutton Vocalion had not yet reissued Don Gillis' own performances from the early 50s, so I was unaware of any recording coming directly from the composer.

That 2000s Albany recording played up Gillis' brash sense of humor, thus it is a surprising transition to the composer's first three symphonies, ones of great earnestness, although they still dwell in the realm of Americana and light orchestral music.

Frequent readers of the Oozy Channel Keep will know I have zero problem with light music, for it is simply a different type of listening entertainment from an orchestra. Maybe light music is less complex developmentally, more focused on providing the listener with ample tunes, easy harmonies, and an overall satiating experience. For the performers, catching the spirit of the music becomes very important, whether the playing requires virtuosity or not.

That said, using a Classical term such as symphony, as Don Gillis does here, the music becomes loaded with expectation, both in presentation and structure. In his Symphony no. 1, subtitled An American Symphony, the work rings a little hollow to my ears, mainly on symphonic grounds. Gillis is less interested in motivic development, preferring instead to repeat his ideas... a lot; usually through repeated sequencing and sheer ad nauseam repetition. He is great at setting a movement's atmosphere, but the junction points between contrasting ideas are often awkward and apparent, rather than of a piece.

Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of fine music here. Gillis' love of brass, particularly trumpet figures, see their beginnings. The slow second movement contains oodles of wind solos to eat up, and the finale is a barn burner, with the first glimpse of the composer's sparkling wit on hand. Gillis makes a firm effort, however, to inject musical introspection around any of his upbeat areas, perhaps the reason the whole symphony reaches the 30-minute mark, really, an overlong work for Gillis' early musical ideas.

But we can forgive some of this, as this is the First Symphony from Gillis. One would have a lot more disdain for the composer if he didn't himself develop and find his own way as a symphonist. His Symphony no. 2, subtitled A Symphony of Faith, does indeed sound more confident, trying something new in some places.

Americana is at the fore of the very first sounds of his Second Symphony, with strings and oboe plaintively evoking the open plains. Some modal chant-like passages infer a sort of mystical atmosphere, if not outright religious. Let us call it awe and thanksgiving on the part of Gillis' music, particularly from those horns! Maybe midway or so into the first movement, I do feel Gillis has exhausted his musical themes, going on through the repetition door again.

Despite the continuing orchestration for pastoral sounds in the second movement, there is an air of melancholy running through the movement, again, almost chant-like in quality. A high-spirited finale sounds more 'Gillis' to my ears, catching some of his trademark rhythms and ensemble sounds. He walks away from the outgoing spontaneity for substantial portions of contemplative music, which I suppose fits the subtitle, but I think I would rather have more of the meat Gillis initially provides. At 30 minutes, I still feel Gillis' symphonies are overlong considering their content.

With Symphony no. 5 1/2, yes it fits between Symphony nos. 5 & 6, Gillis has his humor fully planted within cheek at this point. The virtuosic brass and wind licks are impressively virtuosic, with spontaneous musical jumps from this to that, which almost causes listener whiplash. The composer has also found a more compact structure to contain his symphonic ideas, ones I appreciate greatly.

With the subtitle A Symphony for Fun, Gillis relinquishes any pretense for seriousness, and plows straight into stereotypical Americana, one which would not be too far from cinematic depictions of cattle rancher adventures. The array of percussion adds another musical element not found in the first two symphonies, as well as many persnickety syncopated rhythms.

Symphony no. 5 1/2 is one found from David Alan Miller leading the Albany Symphony Orchestra in 1997. I could tell right away during Symphony no. 1 that the resonance of the performing location, Studio 1 of the Polish Radio, essentially a concert hall, was going to be too tubby for the music. Indeed, one wants some dryness to catch the variety of colors and intensity of the rhythms across the work.

Some 25+ years ago, I wondered what else Gillis had to say through his set of symphonies. Like any other composer, in his first three symphonies he is simply finding his way. While there are light moments in Symphony no. 1 & 2, the music's seriousness is surprising only coming from his works of wit. Otherwise, there is a lot to appreciate here. Kudos to Ian Hobson and the Sinfonia Varsovia for putting these on record.

 

Works
Symphony 1 'American', (31.41)
Symphony 2 'Faith', (31.29)
Symphony 5 1/2 'Fun' (15.15)

Performers
Sinfonia Varsovia
Ian Hobson, conductor

Label: Albany
Year: 2006
Total Timing: 78.30

 

Find more Gillis recordings HERE!