Search - W.K. Batchelder, C.V. Wallace, Henry Russell :: Music of the Civil War

Living history

F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 07/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So shoot me. I like bagpipe music and I like fife and drum recordings and I like brass bands. Recently cruisin' the Internet brought me to the website of a company called Summit Records out in Arizona; and my eye was caught by the title (DCD 126) with a group calling itself The Americus Brass Band. I obtained a copy post haste and I want to all to know about it with equal rapidity. There is just short of 55 minutes of Civil War tunes played in a style that is "historically accurate, right down to the high military pitch and the clicking of the rotary valves on the original antique instruments employed" (as the notes tell us). The history of the band is available in those notes, so let me just dwell on the "music that still produces feelings of humor, joy, sadness, and patriotic pride." Well, what music does not produce at least one of those?--and I am not entirely sure there was anything about the Civil War of which we on either side should be particularly proud. But Sing a Song of Suffering seems to be an eternal way of making the best of a rotten situation during war time; and this CD is replete with such memories as "Tenting Tonight," "Amazing Grace," "Woodman, Spare That Tree," and even a little bit of the "William Tell Overture" and a Meyerbeer opera! In short, this is not the expected line up of soldier songs but selections that are "typical of that which might have been played by a group such as the Americus Brass band." I love it. Give it a try, please."

Authenric Music with traditional instruments.

F. Behrens | 09/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those of you who enjoy the music, as it was sung and played during the Civil War, this recording is a "must!" J.A. McA."