Musical works

Austrian composer, conductor, pianist, and painter, Karl Pilss (1902-1979) remains a name deeply associated with wind instruments. His catalog includes over 85 works for wind instruments, along with a dozen orchestral pieces, numerous Lieder, and choral works. Pilss’s musical language is undoubtedly inspired by the romantic traditions of his predecessors Richard Strauss (1864-1949) and Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), while incorporating a touch of modernism. His Serenade for Winds, composed in four movements, enchants with its beautiful melodies and the virtuosity of its writing.