For the past fifty years, a group of Canada’s finest artists has been producing works of the highest order — for a tiny audience. If they were painters their names would be familiar and their work hanging on gallery walls across the country. But we’re talking about Canadian composers. Their gallery walls are concert halls, living rooms, Walkmans. CBC Records OVATION SERIES documents the emergence of this distinctly Canadian music. Each disc in this and subsequent 5-CD sets, is dedicated to a single composer; each collects in one convenient place that composer’s most accessible and representative works.

CD 1:

JOHN WEINZWEIG

1. Jumpin’ Blues

2. Contrasts for Guitar (excerpt/extrait)

3. Shoppin’ Blues

4. Hockey Night in Canada

5-7. 15 Pieces for Harp (excerpts/extraits)

8-10. Private Collection (excerpts/extraits)

11-13. Diverimento No.1 for Flute and String Orchestra

14. Round Dance

15-17. Divertimento No.7 for trumpet, trombone and wind ensemble

18. Red Ear of Corn: Barn Dance

CD 2:

JEAN COULTHARD

1. The Bird of Dawning Singeth All Night Long

2. Of Fields and Forests

3-6. Canada Mosaic: Introduction and Three Folksongs

7. Variations on BACH

8-11. Spring Rhapsody

12. Quebec May

13. Music on a Quiet Night

CD 3:

MURRAY ADASKIN

1. March No.1

2-4. Sonatine Baroque

5-7. String Quintet

8. Daydreams for E-flat alto saxophone and piano

9. Rondo for Nine Instruments

10-12. Woodwind Quintet No.1

13. Musica Victoria

CD 4:

JACQUES HETU

1-3. Symphonie no 3, Op.18

4-6. Concerto pour guitare et orchestre a cordes, Op.56

7-9. Concerto pour trompette et petit orchestre, Op.43

10. Antimonie, Op.23

CD 5:

HARRY FREEDMAN

1-3. Celebration

4. Toccata for Voice and Flute

5. Tikki Tikki Tembo

6. Pastorale

7. Chalumeau

8-11. Suite for the ballet Rose Latulippe