Search - John Philip Sousa, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Elgar Howarth :: Sousa Marches: Stars and Stripes Forever

A top-notch Sousa collection

chefdevergue | Spokane, WA United States | 10/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All of the best-known Sousa marches are contained within this collection, along with a few lesser-known marches. I suppose the producers of this album could have been a little more generous (it contains a little over 41 minutes in music), but one cannot find fault with the quality of the performances.Sousa purists will note that some of the tempos are not quite what Sousa himself intended, but they should also appreciate the quality of the performances, which remind the listener more of the classic concert band, as opposed to the percussion-heavy marching band sound. We have all heard marching bands massacre Sousa marches on a regular basis; in reality, the Sousa band almost marched, and generally performed in a concert hall setting. This recording, with brass & reeds well-balanced & understated, and the percussion in a supporting rather dominating role, allows all of the complexities of Sousa's compostions to come to the fore.It is true enough that these marches can be found in just about any recorded Sousa collection, but the calibre of the performance merits the inclusion of this CD in any devoted Sousa fan's collection."

Nice Patriotic Groove

chefdevergue | 02/03/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I got the tape of this album as a gift, and I always swore if I ever found it on CD I'd pick it up. It's a very likeable record, featuring solid, toe-tapping performances of all Sousa's best-known marches, plus some lesser-known but wonderful compositions. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because we own some old 78s recorded by the Sousa band, and some of the tempos and phrasings used on this CD are not quite what Sousa had in mind. But that's getting pretty picky, and frankly, this is a very easy CD to enjoy on its own merits. It gets a lot of play around our house, and not just on patriotic holidays, either."

Very crisp,wonderful tonguing,love thetuba!

Carolyn.Stockert@worldnet.att.net | Ohio, USA | 02/26/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We love this recording, especially enjoy the lesser known marches (Corcoran Cadets and Directorate are our favorites. We enjoy the tuba"