Warren Benson

Overview - Recordings - Scores - Books - Links

Born: January 26, 1924, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Warren Benson has been drastically under-represented in the recorded band repertoire compared to the quality of his works for band. Fortunately, Gasparo records has started to correct this, most notably by issuing the first commercial all-Benson band CD.

Dawn's Early Light, a three-part evocation of a New Orleans jazz funeral is one of my personal favorites in the whole band and wind ensemble literature. It is one of those rare works that successfully fuses jazz rhythms and feel into a classical context. Danzón-memory is a delight as well, a dreamy 11-minute slow movement. The performances of the Meadows Wind Ensemble from Southern Methodist University give you a good sense of the music. Benson also contributes the title work to another Gasparo CD from the Meadows Wind Ensemble, The Drums of Summer, coupled with music by Messiaen, Varèse, and Montague.

Recordings

	Works	Performers	Reviews	Stores
	Dawn's Early Light Danzón-memory Shadow Wood	Meadows Wind Ensemble Jack Delaney Margaret Dupuy, mezzo-soprano		Tower
	The Drums of Summer	Meadows Wind Ensemble Jack Delaney		Tower

Scores

Books

...And My Daddy Will Play the Drums: Limericks for Friends of Drummers by Warren Benson (available from Sheet Music Plus)