Fennell Conducts Sousa

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is the Sousa record for people who are serious about marches. Sousa was the greatest march composer in the history of, well, marching, and this disc includes many fresh and interesting pieces that will likely be unfamiliar, as well as a couple of favorites (including "The Liberty Bell," famous as the theme to Monty Python's Flying Circus). But by and large, this disc focuses on the less well known pieces, though there's not a dud in the lot. Sousa had a special gift for orchestration and for writing tunes with real rhythmic interest; his marches never sound dull. Frederick Fennell is the simply the best wind band conductor around, and these performances are standard- setters. --David Hurwitz

Fennell Conducts Sousa, Music, John Philip Sousa, Frederick Fennell, Harold Lawrence, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Band, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Composer, Fight Songs, March, March for Band, Marching Band / Patriotic, Pop, Romantic, Score

Average customer rating:

Fennell Brings Out the Best in Sousa 's Marches

A solid Sousa album that comes up a bit short

The Mastery of Fennell

MASTERFUL RENDITIONS IN GLORIOUS RECORDED SOUND

A Classic well preserved

Fennell Conducts Sousa

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Sousa | Sousa, John Philip | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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Tracks:

Sound Off
Nobles Of The Mystic Shrine
Sabre And Spurs
The Picadore
Our Flirtation
The High School Cadets
The Invincible Eagle
Bullets and Bayonets
The Liberty Bell
Riders For The Flag
Solid Men To The Front!
The Gallant Seventh
The Rifle Regiment
The Pride Of The Wolverines
Golden Jubilee
The Gridiron Club
New Mexico
Sesqui-Centennial Exposition
The Black Horse Troop
The Kansas Wildcats
Manhattan Beach
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
The National Game
The Glory of the Yankee Navy

Amazon.com

This is the Sousa record for people who are serious about marches. Sousa was the greatest march composer in the history of, well, marching, and this disc includes many fresh and interesting pieces that will likely be unfamiliar, as well as a couple of favorites (including "The Liberty Bell," famous as the theme to Monty Python's Flying Circus). But by and large, this disc focuses on the less well known pieces, though there's not a dud in the lot. Sousa had a special gift for orchestration and for writing tunes with real rhythmic interest; his marches never sound dull. Frederick Fennell is the simply the best wind band conductor around, and these performances are standard- setters. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Fennell Brings Out the Best in Sousa 's Marches.......2004-02-21

This is an outstanding CD. The sound quality is very good. The instrumental balance is very good. It's interesting to compare the rather subtle difference in the percussion section performance between the two recording dates, particulalarly the cymbalist.
Sousa had an uncanny ability to score the cymbal strike at places which add significantly to the listening experience.
Hats off to Sousa, Fennell,and the Eastman Wind Ensemble

A solid Sousa album that comes up a bit short.......2003-01-26

In the 60s, Fennell and the Eastman Wind ensemble recorded a good amount of marches by Sousa, many released on this album, and the rest (as far as I know) on the album Hands Across the Sea. As many of Sousa's best marches are on that later album, this one falls a bit short of greatness -- but not my much.

Sousa knew his marches, writting something like 200 of them, and almost every one of these is a great example of how to write a good march. Indeed, The Liberty Bell and Manhatten Beach are two of my alltime favorite marches. However, being prolific often means that there will be misses, and many here, while written well, just aren't all that memorable. I'd be hard pressed to be able to identify such pieces as The Gallant Seventh, New Mexico, or the Black Horse Troop unless I had just listened to them.

Still, one has to admire the creative way Sousa sometimes put his music together. The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company uses the song 'Aude Lang Syne' for its trio, and it fits so well that it's hard to believe he didn't write it himself. The Liberty Bell uses tubular bells in *just* the right spots that it makes an impact every time one listens. And Sabre And Spurs uses wook blocks to simulate horses, which also works great.

So overall, this is a solid album that has its ups and downs. The sound quality is great, haveing a certain amount of 'bite' that's almost impossible with digital recordings, the playing impecable, and there's plenty of variety.

The Mastery of Fennell.......2002-01-28

I've owned this CD for several years, and bought a copy recently as a Christmas gift. Frederick Fennell is a modern master of band and marches, and I own several of his recordings. What makes this CD a standout for me is the Mercury Living Presence recording and remastering method. I own over two dozen of this series because Living Presence does indeed represent a different method of producing music for the recorded media. It DOES sound more lifelike to me than conventional multimike recordings. To anyone considering purchase of this CD I'd recommend also ordering 'Screamers', the Living Presence CD of circus marches. To me this is feel-good music at its best, and terrific for listing in the car! Additionally, the Living Presence series stands out for its excellent liner notes with explanations of the Living Presence method. This CD is a keeper. Incidentally, the recipient of this CD has since gone out and bought several other Living Presence CD's after hearing this!s

MASTERFUL RENDITIONS IN GLORIOUS RECORDED SOUND.......2001-11-16

An utterly masterful set, containing many of Sousa's unjustly neglected works. (An integral recording of his complete marches is overdue by a good half-century.*) Fennell conducts with incredible verve, and the Eastman Wind Ensemble responds in kind, with immaculately tight and polished performances. The recording is demonstration-class. Sousa has never sounded better, and probably never will.

*EDIT: Actually, a nearly-complete recording of the marches has been available, as of the time of this review, for at least a good quarter-century--first on LP, now on CD: that being, a series of analog recordings by The Detroit Concert Band, led by Leonard B. Smith. Currently available from Walking Frog Records (on five CDs), the DCB/Smith collection unfortunately suffers from some serious problems--not the least of which is the highly variable and substandard quality of the recorded sound.

A Classic well preserved.......2001-09-28

This one's a Classic and the sound is remarkable considering
when it was recorded. Viva Mercury Records!

Tracks:

Hands Across The Sea
Father Of Victory
The Golden Ear
Old Comrades
March, Op. 99
Valdres March
Inglesina
Knightsbridge March
The U.S. Field Artillery
The Thunderer
Washington Post
King Cotton
El Capitan
The Stars And Stripes Forever
American Patrol
On The Mall
Lights Out
Barnum And Bailey's Favorite
Colonel Bogey
The Billboard

Customer Reviews:

happy music.......2006-08-29

I could't offer a technical critique of this c.d,instead I'll attempt to describe the enjoyment it gave me.Imagine you're sitting in your car listening to the radio,not terribly enthusiastic about getting out to start work.You become aware there's a bright ,cheerful sounding tune being played-vaguely familiar,I find myself tapping out the beat and humming along-what's this called then?Then we get to the part I can identify-DAH-DAHdeDAHdeDAH-DAH-DAH-Oh,of course,it's the music they used in "The Hunters",oh the memories that brought back.That tune got me out of the car ,through the day's turmoil,and when I woke up the next morning at 3a.m.,it was still going throgh my head!Okay,log onto Amazon,click,click,all I've gotta do now is contain my impatience .The C.D. duly arrived,suffice it to say it exceeded all my expectations regarding quality and content and has become one of my favourites.

Vintage march collection for connoisseurs.......2000-05-26

It seems like the heyday for recorded march collections was the early stereo era. The classic Mercury recordings by Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble dating from that time no doubt contribute to that impression. In this collection, they demonstrate the seriousness with which they approach this repertoire by unearthing some lesser known (at least in the US) pieces to go along with the usual Sousa-esque fare. However, there is no sense that they scraped the bottom of the barrel: all of these marches are first rate. Even the less familiar marches will have you humming along in no time, so infectious are they. These performers bring their usual gutsy exuberance and the necessary polish, too. The sound is on the bold side so turn the volume down a bit for this one.

Average customer rating:

A Compendium of Classic Marches

Frederick Fennell Conducts

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000A5DLP6
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Hands Across The Sea
Father Of Victory
The Golden Ear
Old Comrades
March, Op.99
Valdres March
Inglesina
Knightsbridge March
The U.S. Field Artillery
The Thunderer
Washington Post
King Cotton
El Capitan
The Stars And Stripes Forever
Amerian Patrol
On The Mall
Lights Out
Barnum And Bailey's Favorite
Colonel Bogey
The Billboard

Tracks:

Country Gardens
Shepherd's Hey
Colonial Song
Children's March
The Immovable Do
Mock Morris
Handel In The Strand
Irish Tune From County Derry
Spoon River
My Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Molly On The Shore
I. Halcyon Days
II. Springtime In Angus
III. Youth Of Britain

Tracks:

I. Covent Garden
II. Westminster
III. Knightsbridge
I. Northwards
II. Eastwards
Pirate Dance From Goldilocks
Suite Of Carols (Excerpts)
A Christmas Festival
Sandpaper Ballet
Forgotten Dreams
Trumpeter's Lullaby
Penny-Whistle Song
Bulger's Holiday
I. The Irish Washerwoman
II. The Minstrel Boy
III. The Rakes Of Mallow
IV. The Wearing Of The Green
V. The Last Rose Of Summer
VI. The Girl I Left Behind

Tracks:

I. The Earle Of Oxford's Marche
II. Pavana
III. John Come Kisse Me Now
IV. The Mayden's Song
V. Wolsey's Wilde
VI. The Bells
Crown Imperial: A Coronation March
Hammersmith: Prelude And Scherzo, Op.52
I. Serenade
II. Spiritual
III. Celebration
Fanfare And Allegro

Customer Reviews:

A Compendium of Classic Marches.......2007-01-10

The performances contained herein are very good. I only wish there were more Sousa marches in the collection. However, those that are there are well-performed and the recording is very good.

Average customer rating:

Fennell conducts Sousa [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0002O3902
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Fennell Conducts Sousa - "Sound Off!" and "Sousa on Review" - 24 Favorite Marches

Average customer rating:

Fennell Conducts Sousa - "Sound Off!" and "Sousa on Review" - 24 Favorite Marches

Manufacturer: Mercury Living Presence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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