Search - John Philip Sousa, United States Marine Band :: United States Marine Band Performs Sousa Marches

Sousa On Parade

Roger Kennedy | 05/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This standard collection of Sousa's marches is nicely played throughout by the US Marine Band. All the well known marches by Sousa are here. Little is new here in that regard. The CD has in its title Dances and other Music. Only "Le Reine De Le Mer" is in this category and the piece is more an overture than a dance. The "Gallent 7th March" is not normally in the top 10 constantly played Sousa marches, but it is worthy of note. Sousa composed it for the fashionable 7th Regiment New York National Guard. This unit had a good band which was well known in Sousa's day and often combined performances with the Sousa band in New York City.



Sousa was director of music for the US Marine band for 10 years, 1882-92. He left to form his own band because he knew he could make a lot more money on his own. Suffice to say that Sousa greatly transformed this band from a 2nd rate ensemble to one of the best in the USA. The US Marine Band is also the oldest musical organization in the country, dating back to 1802 when Washington DC was still a wooded Virginia back water built over sickly swamps. Today this band probably gives one of the best versions of Sousa's music. Still, the listener should consider other collections by the Royal Artillery Band available on Amazon which provides a much fuller range of Sousa's music with authentic programing."