Search - John Philip Sousa, United States Marine Band :: Sousa Original / United States Marine Band

Odd and skimpy Selection of Sousa marches

Roger Kennedy | 08/12/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This collection pales by comparison to others. The number of selections is half that of other offerings for the same or less money. A much better selection of more than 20 of the best Sousa offerings is offered on the fine Mercury recordings of the Eastman Wind Ensemble."

A Moderate Sampling of Sousa

Roger Kennedy | 12/03/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Actually one of the better CDs of the limited Altissimo! line of products. At least we have the Marine band playing Sousa, as it should be, but many of the selections are what we have heard already on countless CDs of Sousa. A few of the selections here are different and worthwhile. The problems we encounter are a mixture of recording styles taken from different internal tracks from the Marine Band Library. These recordings were never intended for commercial use. Hence the un-even sound at times. Also the brief durration of the CD indicates as well that it was never intended for public use. Finally, lack of any worthwhile liner notes tops off a rather un-professional job overall."

Sousa Played as only the Marines can do

Roger Kennedy | 10/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This release by Altissimo! is a great collection of Sousa Recordings played by the band that Sousa made great. There are tons of Sousa recordings out there, but none feature the US Marine band. Sousa marches don't sound the same until you have heard them played by the Marines. Sousa wrote many of these marches while bandmaster of the Marines, thus the reason why the renditions of these works are so excellent here. The band playes with a real drive and energy, the likes of which few can compare. While not a large selection of marches, this CD is only volume one of a four volume set of Sousa's music featuring the US Marine band. (...) Now more than ever, with our nation in crisis, we need the inspired music of our great service bands."