DON GILLIS (1912-1978): Complete Suites for Wind Quintet - No. 1 “The Fable of the Tortoise and Hare”, No. 2 “Three Sketches” and No. 3, “Gone with the Woodwinds”.

Description: Dating from 1938 and 1939, these are early examples of Gillis’ bright, brash, eternally youthful-sounding exercises in musical Americana. Of course, there are slow movements too, like the measured, sentimental “Self-Portrait” in the second suite and the bluesy second movement of the third, but as in the following movement “A Frolic in B- Bop Major”, high spirits and boundless energy are the hallmarks here. Madera Wind Quintet.