Search - John Philip Sousa, Keith Brion :: John Philip Sousa: Music for Wind Band, Vol. 3

Sousa via Royla Artillery Band

Roger Kennedy | 12/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This continuing series promises to develope many aspects of Sousa's varied music. The only marches the listener may recognize are the two favorites in the beginning. These are almost required selections and Naxos has been very clever in doling out the favorite Sousa marches (so many times recorded before) with lesser known fare. Here we have many interesting other works by Sousa that have been seldem offered before. These include numerous pieces for symphonic wind band and draw upon Sousa's fascination with operatic composition. As a composer, Sousa was probably one the most varied of his kind. Indeed, you can put together a complete program of music as there is so much variety to chose from. Such has been done here with this series. The inspired baton of Keith Brian, famed for his New Sousa Band concerts here leads the venerable Royal Artillery Band of the British army. This is a winning combination, as the RA band is one of the oldest and most distinglished bands in the UK. With 49 pieces, the band can produce the kind of robust sound which is required for many of Sousa's works, but there is also a delicacy of performance here which Keith Brian brings out in the band. This third volume in the Naxos series is promising to be one of the best of its kind ever put together. Here we can finally get that eccletic mix that made a Sousa concert such a memorable and fun event. Keith Brian, Naxos and the Royal Artillery Band are a winning combination."