In Astako (2015) by Giorgos Lanthimos, the first two of the ten variations of Don Quixote, Op. 35″, which Johann Strauss composed for cello, viola and orchestra in 1897. Another classic, the impressionist Maurice Ravel, wrote a cycle of three songs for baritone and piano “Don Quixote and Dulcinea” in 1932, and in 1910 at the Opéra de Monte- Carlo Frenchi watched the premiere of Don Quixote by Gilles Massenet Much later, in 1988, Milton Nascimento sang in Brazil’s Don Quixote with his velvety voice in 1988. Cervantes’ Don Quixote is inspired by time travel as he travels through the fictional world of the book. Between operas, symphonic works, soundtracks, songs, jazz, the masterpiece vinyl record “Windmill Tilter-The story of Don Quixote” (Fontana 1969, reissue, Decca 2021) by the leading Canadian composer, musician (trumpet – flugelhorn) was well presented. Kenny Wheeler, who has been hard to find for many years, was recorded in March 1968.

Wheeler, known for his monumental ECM albums Gnu High (1975), Deer Wan (1977), Angel Song (1997) and countless collaborations with leading jazz musicians, at the age of 38 composed a nine-part 41-minute suite at the behest of John Dankworth, leader of the orchestra of the same name. In 1952 he moved to London and played in the John Dankworth Orchestra from 1959-1963. He baked himself in dance jazz sounds a la Ellington and climbed to the top of the British scene. At the same time, his open-mindedness and improvisational experiments, strongly reflected in the recordings of the free jazz orchestra of the Globe Unity Orchestra in the early 70s and in his collaboration with unconventional creative musicians such as Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Trevor Watts, were a counterbalance to his melodic tendencies.

With unprecedented flexibility, his sound balanced between melancholy and chaos. “Windmill Tilter” was his self-titled debut, a bit late considering his previous work. The composition for orchestra by John Dankworth was written when he was unable to play the trumpet for three months due to a dental operation. This is how he played the flugelhorn. As Dankworth mentioned at the time, Kenny is a particularly quiet character with an introverted personality that leads him to consider himself a “loser”. Thus, his attachment to a fictional “loser” like Don Quixote who nonetheless “lost” in a very ostentatious way, and his attempt to immortalize episodes of the Spanish adventure proved to be ideal.

With unprecedented flexibility, his sound balanced between melancholy and chaos.

The impressive big band work had an Iberian aura and a resemblance to Miles Davis-Gil Evans’ Essays on Spain, but featured a distinctive synth style and instantly recognizable sound. Parts of the suite explore the adventures of the “anti-hero”: his chivalrous love for his artful lover Dulcinea, his rapprochement with Sancho Panza, his sleep in Montesino’s cave, his last fall homecoming, reality and the world of reason. He composes with rare maturity, elegance, attention to detail, wit, ingenuity, originality, cinematic atmosphere, no overdubs, but with room and challenge for instruments to improvise and offer unique solos, learning exquisite harmony through his studies with Richard Rodney Bennett . , student of Pierre Boulez and Bill Russo, arranger Stan Kenton.

Its warm sound embodies the melancholy, romantic melody, expressive softness, sophisticated lyrics, playful mood necessary for the musical commentary of an idealistic literary “anti-hero” and characters through short, clear, sensitive solos and passages of rare brass calligraphy, exemplary accuracy and precision. bittersweet shades. Fresh, contemporary compositions use the fluctuations of different tonal levels and the creative search of the 18-piece orchestra as a whole or in the inspirational dialogues of its members. It features 22-year-old double bassist Dave Holland on his first recording shortly before Miles Davis discovered it, 26-year-old guitarist John McLaughlin shortly before his big American career, saxophonist Tony Coe with great solos, trombonist Mike Gibbs and John. Dankworth. In the final composition Don No More, the epic tone, despite the disappointment of a bumpy landing from a crescendo of idealistic romance, leaves a feeling of cleansing and liberation.

Wheeler is adept at turning the moods of his sensibility, even the most melancholic, into a constant feedback of musical ideas and discoveries. Reviews that would lead him to two more large orchestral stations in his extensive discography: “Song for Someone” (Incus, 1973) and “Music for Large & Small Ensembles” (ECM, 1990).