Customer Reviews

Circus Spectacular

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It was indeed exciting to find so many of Karl King's marches on one disc. The band's playing, however leaves a lot to be desired, as does the sound quality of the disc. The balance is poor, with a very annoying tenor sax playing loud and out-of-tune on every cut. Buy this if you are a march collector (which I am), but I do not recommend it for its entertainment value. Get the "Screamers" disc by Fennell and Eastman for a far superior set of circus marches with great playing and sound.

Certainly the best thing about this CD is that there are many of Karl King's marches that have probably never been recorded previously, which is curious, since some of them rank with his best. The curious thing about this CD, on the other hand, is that it is supposedly a circus album, but only a few marches were actually written for the "big top". This band is not the best I have heard - recommend listening with headphones, to get a much clearer, less muddled sound. King was only kind of a contemporary of Sousa, having lived 35-40 years later. He actually published more marches than Sousa, and generally wrote in a style that was "softer" than the March King. Sousa wrote mostly military-style marches (better than anyone else ever has, of course), whereas King wrote many military as well as circus marches, and marches in a simpler style, suitable for school bands.

This recording of music by Karl King is absolutely splendid -it contains 28 tracks most of which I have certainly not heard before - I particularly liked the tempos of the marches - not too quick but just right - the band is good (although I had never heard of them) - I came across this recording by chance and I'm glad I did - highly recommended

Karl King was a wonderful composer. He was in the same time period as John Philip Sousa. Perhaps a little different style of composing, but definitely in the same league. This music certainly gets you cranked up and puts a smile on your face. Everyone loves a parade.

As fine a collection of Karl King Marches and Galops as you are going to find and extemely well done by top notch studio players. I want more by these guys! Sam Pilifian headed the project which ought to tell you what sort of playing to expect.

Having played a number of times under Karl King, I had great expectations for this CD. Alas, it was not to be. The music is there, the musicians play all the right notes and the conductor keeps time. The recording is only mediocre, of Laserlight quality, and the performance is not what I expected from what they call a "Circus Band." Indeed, the liner notes state that the band is mostly students and professionals from the Philadelphia area. In other words, a "pick up" band. And the conductor seems to have no circus experience only small town symphony experience (from the puffery in the liner notes). From listening, it would appear that he has never even heard a real circus band. Both conductor and band would not last a day at a real circus. I do have a suspicion, however, that the musicians would do better under a better conductor.

Now, if they called themselves a concert band, that would be accurate and fair, and would not have dashed my hopes, as they are OK as a concert band. But just OK.

Of course, a concert band can indeed generate all the excitement of a bona fide circus band, as Frederick Fennell so aptly demonstrated on his Mercury recordings.

Now, if you want real circus music played by a real circus band, get a Merle Evans recording.

However, having said all that, I will keep the album, as I have always been a Karl King fan, and it is fine music decently played by an OK concert band.

Every year I put on a theme for our week long lake vacation. This year it was a circus theme. The music in this CD reminded me and my children of all the circus trips we had made in the past. It was a great CD with just the right amount of variety in the music.

These great marches and rags are a must for the circus collecter. We all can enjoy such marvelous works of music as these.

This is a good recording of Karl King's music but the band is at, times, wanting in playing more expertly. If you really love Karl King's circus music, you may be happier with it.

This CD is so great that I some how managed to buy two of them.
I always enjoy Karl King's music.