ABSTRACT
After his 1942 pardon Cowell continued to compose for wind band as before, creating serious works dedicated to the Goldman Band and the West Point Band. Musically, "Animal Magic" represents an addition to Cowell's Celtic-inspired compositions for wind band: references to the American Indian tradition. "Animal Magic of the Alaskan Esquimo"—published as "Animal Magic"—bears no dedication on the published score nor the composer's fair copy, but Cowell apparently intended to dedicate it to Resta. In 1947, at about the time when Cowell composed "Grandma's Rhumba," Stan Kenton, the renowned big band leader and pianist, recorded an instrumental version of "Peanut Vendor," reprising the "rumbamania" that had swept America and Europe in the 1930s. Among the differences between the two works, Cowell supplied predominantly "Blue Eyed English" expressive markings in the "Rhumba" while in the "Fanfare" he indicated only Italian tempo and expression markings.
