CARTER PANN (b.1972): Serenade for Winds, Concerto Logic for Piano and Winds, DANIEL KELLOGG (b.1976): A Tent for the Sun for String Quartet and Winds, Pyramus and Thisbe for Actor and Winds.

Description: Pann's music is unabashedly tonal and resolutely accessible in idiom, and his Serenade is an easy-going piece, full of melody and charm. Concerto Logic is inspired by various games of skill and chance, and is a more active and virtuosic work, though no less tonal or approachable. The first movement is a lively allegro, the second a meditative slow movement interrupted by an excited scherzetto and finally reaching a soaring conclusion; the third is a lively cadenza-scherzo with frantic ragtime associations. This acts as an introduction to the finale, an entertaining survey of the stresses, intricacies and triumphs of the game of chess, high-energy throughout, alternating high romanticism and big-band references. Kellogg's A Tent is an evocative piece of nature-music inspired by the magnificent scenery of the Colorado Rockies. Employing a string quartet as an unusual composite 'soloist' to narrate proceedings, the work builds in waves of texture like the changing light over the landscape, powerful and uplifting in a rich tonal idiom. Pyramus is a theatrical farce in music, taken from Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's dream, highly entertaining and gleefully and affectionately lampooning the overwrought conventions of theater music. Carter Pann (piano), Takács String Quartet, Patrick Mason (actor), University of Colorado Wind Symphony; Allan McMurray.