Archive for February, 2012

An Album For the Ages-From Fife and Drum


An Album for the Ages     

FROM FIFE AND DRUM

Marine Band Recordings 1890-1988(CD 73 Minutes-17 tracks)

By Jack Kopstein

This is an Album for the Ages and celebrates the 190th Anniversary of “The Presidents Own United States Marine band under the direction of Colonel John R Bourgeois. From Fife and Drum really underscores the genesis of the Marine band as a recording entity. The title represents the lineage of the world renowned band which was founded on July 11th 1798. The band which is America’s oldest musical organization performs music on this recording, which has become   synonymous with their record of  achievement. The historical content is worth the price alone beginning with an introduction by music critic Paul Hume followed by the announcement of John Philip Sousa’s Washington Post march. This was a common practice back in 1890 when the march was recorded. The digital processing is absolutely superb particularly in the first four cuts which include the afore mentioned Washington Post, The Thunderer, and the Creanonian Polka a cornet solo which is classic band music of  the nineteenth century.

The voice interlude following the Cornet solo provides an excellent overview of the Marine band and their contribution to the heritage and culture as well the ceremonial of the United States. There is a virtual array of great band music and transcriptions on the album. The Hungarian Rhapsody no 14 by Franz Liszt as well as Franz Von Suppé’s Overture Morning Noon and Night. The turn of the century style is imitated with a cute little ragtime tune called Crazy Bones originally recorded in 1914.

The band performs the Marines Hymn on The Dream Hour  an NBC radio programme  which featured the band every week in music for “Shut-Ins.” In the major work on the recording Colonel John R Bourgeois selected the brilliant work for band by Clare Grundman titled “Concord” in which we hear Revolutionary songs. The National Hymn of America “God of Our Fathers” “is heard in a magnificent rendition. It is a 19th-century American Christian hymn, written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1876.The final cut on this magnificent album is the march Washington Post which served to bring the Marine band full circle from their earliest recording of 1898 to 1988. The recording technique may have changed over the intervening years from 1898 but the one sustaining factor remains as the absolutely marvellous musicianship of the United States Marine band. The colour enclosure with the CD is highly informative giving an excellent background on the recording. Overall, this is an awesome collection by the United States Marine band that grows more amazing by each track. Anyone with a love of good solid band music would be wise to invest in this disc.

 

A Terrific Buy at ALTISSIMO

 

 



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Military Band News -Send Us Your Schedule!


Military bands send us your schedule of events We will

feature  them in World Military bands

Music Festivals, Tattoos, Concert

worldbands2002@yahoo.com



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Pacific Coast Tattoo in the Works


Welcome to Pacific Tattoo! VICTORIA BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA    http://pacifictattoo.ca/

Canada Leads The World in Military Music Festivals

A Tattoo is a tightly woven, full production spectacle of music and movement, featuring military bands, massed pipes and drums, choirs, dancers, and special skills and athletic demonstrations.

The Tattoo has evolved from a simple military ceremony in the 17th century to a dynamic performance concept with hugely successful events in cities around the world from Edinburgh, Scotland to Sydney, Australia. In Canada, Halifax’s Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo has been a major fixture on the East Coast summer festival scene since 1979. … Continue Reading »



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US Marines Sousa Album


Altissimo  Present Volume Number 9 in the Robert Hoe Series of  John Philip Sousa Albums -The Heritage of John Philip Sousa

ALTISSIMOHeritage_9_cover_small1.jpg image by jack264

The release of The Heritage of John Philip Sousa Volume 9 completes the series. After nine volumes, 18 discs, and almost 200 recordings of Sousa’s works, this truly is the ultimate Sousa collection.

Altissimo! Recordings is proud to present the Robert Hoe Heritage of the March collection. It remains the largest single march music record series in history, featuring almost 3,000 different marches. This series has been highly sought by music collectors everywhere, and now for the first time ever, you can own these rare marches from the one and only March King, presented as 2-disc volumes digitally mastered for optimal sound quality and faithfully reproduced.

These are digitally remastered from vinyl. The original vinyl was recorded between 1974 – 1976.

Also Available:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 5
Volume 6
Volume 7
Volume 8



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