the cincinnati college of music wind symphony

AKA The CCM Wind Symphony or The Cincinnati Wind Symphony.

The ensemble recorded Frank Zappa's 'Dog Breath Variations' and 'Envelopes'.

	ccm wind symphony: songs and dances     (1992, cd, usa, mark records mcd-1116) - incl. ‘envelopes’,’the dog breath variations’ (frank zappa)
	cincinnati wind symphony: songs and dances     (2004, cd, usa, klavier k 11066) - re-release with a new album cover

random notes

(from the liner notes)

frank zappa (b. 1940, baltimore, maryland) is perceived by the general public as an eccentric rock musician.  he is better known to some musicians, including pierre boulez, as a composer of innovative contemporary symphonic, chamber, and electronic music.  citing musical influences as diverse as edgard varese, igor stravinsky, anton webern, and spike jones, zappa has established himself as an eclectic, self-trained artist and a composer with incredible creative energy, not to mention biting wit.
envelopes and the dogbreath variations exist in arrangements for a variety of instrumental groups in addition to wind ensemble, including four piece rock band, small electric band, and symphony orchestra.  all of these versions are by zappa. envelopes is a dark, brooding work, full of thickly-voiced dissonances and chromatic melodies.  the dogbreath variations is based on "dog breath", a piece recorded by zappa and the mothers of invention on the 1971 live album just another band from l.a. it is the "dog breath" theme that undergoes several transformations in the variations. as in every version of these variations, "dog breath" seques into material from the 1969 release "uncle meat," a lively and often humorous piece that display's zappa's creative orchestration.  both of these settings were commissioned by the netherlands wind ensemble.  these arrangements are published worldwide by munchkin mus ascap, all rights reserved.  our sincere thanks to patrick brooks for his  efforts in bringing these pieces to our attention.

     from: john henley
the ccm wind symphony disc is very good and here the zappa is a highlight.   they use the netherlands we version of "dog breath" which is the one that ali askin's arrangement for em is based upon.  tempo is rather stately and it works well imo. "envelopes" is kind of a revelation.