Rainbow Body / Blue Cathedral / Symphony 1 / Appalachian Spring Suite

lanking two major works from an earlier generation of American composers are two shorter ones by contemporaries whose command of orchestral textures and hues make for a stimulating program. Christopher Theofanidis' Rainbow Body opens quietly, and builds to a shattering brass-and-percussion-led close, fully exploiting the rich colors of Atlanta's crack orchestra. Jennifer Higdon's Blue Cathedral, which closes the disc, is a finely textured exploration that, in her words, represents an imaginary journey "through a glass cathedral in the sky." It has a soaring quality that captivates, and while not as melodic as Theofanidis' piece, is as compelling in its own way. Spano excels in the Barber and Copland works too; the Barber Symphony No. 1, played with coiled energy, the Copland Suite from Appalachian Spring, full of atmosphere and momentum. Both are among the best available. This brilliantly engineered disc is a winner. --Dan Davis