Search - John Philip Sousa, United States Marine Band :: Sousa 3

One Of My Newest Favorites

K. Brown | Walnut, Ca USA | 07/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've just discovered the awesome marches of John Phillip Sousa in the past year. I have several very good Sousa compilations that feature his best known Marches like "Stars & Stripes Forever" and "King Cotton." What I enjoy about this compilation is that it contains a plethora of great Sousa Marches, most of which I never heard before.I'm strictly a layperson when it comes to classical music, so if my take on Sousa sounds choppy & neanderthol, please pardon me!This is the third Sousa CD I bought that is conducted by the United States Marine Band, and so far, I enjoy their take on John Phillip Sousa Marches heads above the rest. When a Sousa March moves me, it is because it is more than uplifting; it is sheer elation, a pure mood enhancer when waking up in the morning. "The President's Own" delivers this spirit better than any other source I have heard. The pace is brisk, but not rushed. I've heard other bands' versions of Sousa where the conductor seems to let the chief instruments overshadow others (the flute often seems to be one of the characters drowned out), where the instrumentals in The Marine Band sound so beautifully distributed that I often find myself listening to a March I've heard countless times, and suddenly hear a rhythm or melody from a wind instrument I had never noticed before.If you have never heard many of John Phillips Sousa's Marches before, this is a good place to start. "Fairest Of the Fair" starts with such an optimistic and energetic pace that it is a hard act for the following tracks to follow. This was the first time I heard the March, and it has become one of my top five Sousa favorites. The next track delivers with "Hands Across the Sea." The persons who compiled this collection have a great ear for Marches as nothing disappointed me. Two tunes that especially grabbed me are "High School Cadets" and the exotic "The Picador." John Phillip Sousa is one of the most enjoyable musical discoveries I have come across in years. Give this CD a shot, I think you will find it a fabulous listening experience!"