This past summer I had the opportunity to record an album of works by Gina Gillie, a composer and horn player who is becoming increasingly familiar in the horn world! The recording is titled Cantabile: Music for Horn with Clarinet and Piano by Gina Gillie, and it is available through MSR Classics at their website, on Amazon, and other outlets. Here’s a short quote from the liner notes:

I met Gina Gillie in 2004 while we were graduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Even then, it was clear that Gina was an exceptional musician with a creative gift. In the years since, she has turned what was then a burgeoning interest in composition into a growing library of works, many of which are recorded here for the first time. As both a horn player and vocalist, Gina has always been able to tap into the special singing quality of the instrument. It is fitting that the title of this album is Cantabile, as no matter the style or instrumentation, Gina’s compositions always sing. My deepest gratitude goes to my collaborators for their inspiring work, and to Gina’s and my former teacher, Douglas Hill, for encouraging our musical dreams. Thank you also to the ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts and the family of Emy-Lou Biedenharn for their support of this project.

That pretty much sums up the project, but for anyone interested here is a complete list of the pieces we recorded.

SONATA for Horn and Piano
I. Allegro moderato
II. Melodie
III. Rondo

ESCAPADE for Horn and Piano

SONG FOR THE LOST for Horn and Piano

REVERIE for Horn and Piano

ROMANCE for Wagner Tuba and Piano

THREE PAINTINGS for Clarinet, Horn and Piano
I. Highland Castle
II. Lavender Fields
III. Conneaut Rag

All but one of them – the Sonata, which was commissioned and recorded by Steven Cohen for his fantastic album Cruise Control – are world premiere recordings, and I think listeners will really enjoy them! I and two of my colleagues, Scot Humes and Richard Seiler, commissioned the final work on the album, Three Paintings. It’s a fun piece and a wonderful addition to the clarinet, horn, and piano repertoire. I also want to recognize Paul Eachus, who recorded, edited, and mastered this album. He is a fantastic musician and engineer. We were also lucky to have Gina Gillie here for the recording sessions to offer her expert advice and amazing ears. Thanks Gina! And finally, several of the works on this album – Reverie, Escapade, and the Sonata – are available through WaveFront Music, and the rest are available directly from the composer. If you like them, and I think you will, buy the music and program them yourself on an upcoming recital.