TOPIC: "Naval Aviation is an interesting point."

I was interested by the discussion of this piece. It's one that really intrigues me, always has. It's such an oddball. I think it's strange though that it would be considered any kind of indicator of Frank's interests or influences. It is simply not typical of his work, almost an anomaly. If you played any other of his orchestral pieces and asked me who wrote it (hypothetically assuming I did not already know the piece) I think I could tell you it's Frank's right off. But I still don't know what he was thinking when he wrote Naval Aviation, and doubt that he would even make the list of composers whom I would guess as the author. It has always sounded to me like an "experiment" or a study, not a completed work. Something that he tried once, and had enough merit to keep in the catalogue but that he didn't continue pursuing. I'm glad he wrote it though. I really love it. It's a gem.