This disc presents a virtuoso program of new works for both large chamber ensemble and wind ensemble, performed by the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble with soloists. Conductor Craig Kirchhoff writes: "I was drawn to Gregory Mertl's unique palette of instrumental color and timbre and his ability to seamlessly shift emotional landscapes with ease, and sometimes with shocking conviction. These dramatic shifts of emotional momentum are accompanied by striking metamorphoses of harmonic language; a language that exploits the vast and powerful sonorities of the contemporary wind ensemble in ways that are fresh and revolutionary to my ears."
Reviews:
“There are so many interesting moments in these pieces that I find it difficult to single out any one. This kind of music makes me want to listen a second and third time. There’s a wealth of compositional ingenuity and detail, but better yet there’s what I might call attention to the human aspect of music—a concern with drama, passion, and psychological complexity alongside any purely technical achievement.” - American Record Guide
“This first CD is a boon for collectors, for it reveals an artist with a distinctive and compelling voice. The conductor and ensemble are superb.” - Fanfare
“Ever-changing restless rhythms, often punctuated by sudden blasts of brazen colour, make these works by American Gregory Mertl compelling listening.” - theWholeNote
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Afterglow of a Kiss (2000)
Immanuel Davis, flute, University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Craig Kirchhoff, conductor
Empress (1998)
University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Craig Kirchhoff, conductor
Piano Concerto (2008-2010)
Solungga Liu, piano, University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Craig Kirchhoff, conductor