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Some things never change, and that can be a good thing Jan 03, 2009
An earlier reviewer notes that "the producers of this album could have been a little more generous," but in fact, they couldn't, as the original album was produced in 1984, in the vinyl LP record and cassette tape era, and back then, 40 minutes of music (20 minutes per side) was pretty much industry standard. Theoretically I suppose additional tracks could have been added for the CD reissue, but since even the artwork is identical to the '84 original, I guess they just wanted to to keep everything the way it was originally conceived. Remember, "LP" meant "long playing," and in comparison to the typical 10-inch 78 RPM record that preceded LPs, which averaged about three minutes of music per side, this was long-playing indeed. You get the same amount of music you got 25 years ago, and adjusting for inflation, you get it for less money, considering that a typical LP clost about $7.00 way back in 1984!
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
A top-notch Sousa collection Oct 07, 2003
All of the best-known Sousa marches are contained within this collection, along with a few lesser-known marches. I suppose the producers of this album could have been a little more generous (it contains a little over 41 minutes in music), but one cannot find fault with the quality of the performances.Sousa purists will note that some of the tempos are not quite what Sousa himself intended, but they should also appreciate the quality of the performances, which remind the listener more of the classic concert band, as opposed to the percussion-heavy marching band sound. We have all heard marching bands massacre Sousa marches on a regular basis; in reality, the Sousa band almost marched, and generally performed in a concert hall setting. This recording, with brass & reeds well-balanced & understated, and the percussion in a supporting rather dominating role, allows all of the complexities of Sousa's compostions to come to the fore. It is true enough that these marches can be found in just about any recorded Sousa collection, but the calibre of the performance merits the inclusion of this CD in any devoted Sousa fan's collection.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 Nice Patriotic Groove Feb 03, 2002
I got the tape of this album as a gift, and I always swore if I ever found it on CD I'd pick it up. It's a very likeable record, featuring solid, toe-tapping performances of all Sousa's best-known marches, plus some lesser-known but wonderful compositions. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because we own some old 78s recorded by the Sousa band, and some of the tempos and phrasings used on this CD are not quite what Sousa had in mind. But that's getting pretty picky, and frankly, this is a very easy CD to enjoy on its own merits. It gets a lot of play around our house, and not just on patriotic holidays, either.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
very crisp,wonderful tonguing,love thetuba! Feb 26, 1999
We love this recording, especially enjoy the lesser known marches (Corcoran Cadets and Directorate are our favorites. We enjoy the tuba
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