| Review by wehecht May 11, 2006 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
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| If I tell you've I've listened to this disc five times in the two days since it arrived in my mailbox you might get the idea that I like it. You'd be right. The music of Don Gillis is simply a delight. Born in Missouri and having spent the majority of his life in the east Gillis nonetheless identified strongly with his adopted state of Texas, and all of the works on this disc celebrate some facet of Texas history or geography. Emotionally the pieces run the gamut from riotous dance music in "Portrait of a Frontier Town" (similar to Copland in "hoe-down" mode, though Gillis' piece predates Copland's)to mournful eloquence in "The Alamo". In either case the thing that impresses most about this music is its absolute genuineness. Nothing here is "put on", everything is from the heart. This is the latest of several Gillis recordings on Albany, and possibly the best. It's the only one on sacd, and the MC sound is simply gorgeous. Just as the music is bursting with life, so is the recording. That a Polish orchestra under a British conductor (though Ian Hobson has been resident in the states for a number of years)can play this quintessentially American music to this standard is a great credit to all concerned. The only thing that leaves anything to be desired is the somewhat flimsy packaging. More please!
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