Grossdeutschland: Von der Wachtruppe zum Panzerkorps

Carl Faust (Composer), Hermann Schmidt (Conductor), Stabsmusikmeister Friedrich Ahlers (Conductor), Obermusikmeister Guido Grosch (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 15, 2006)
• Original Release Date: May 8, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Brandenburg Historica
• ASIN: B000FGG4TK
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,698 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #46 in	Music > Miscellaneous > Marches
  #57 in	Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Germany

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist
Brandenburg Historica LLC was founded in 1996 by a group of longtime and enthusiasts of German military music. In 2005 we launched our in-house Brandenburg Music Label, which specializes in archival reissues of vintage German military music recordings from 1900 - 1945.

We intend to portray this important musical genre in its proper historical context through a lengthy series of scholarly reference CDs, each presenting a comprehensive depiction of the martial music of one particular era, military unit or branch of service. Each Brandenburg CD features definitive, fully restored and remastered performances of classic German marches (and/or important period vocal works) accompanied by detailed liner notes that encompass all information relevant to the musical period or subject presented. Our huge in-house archive of over one thousand 78 RPM shellac records from the golden age of German military band music, including vocal and instrumental performances of songs and marches from both world wars and featuring recordings by such legendary bandmasters as Adolf Becker, Fritz Brase, Friedrich Ahlers, Carl Woitschach and Hermann Mueller-John, is available to producers for use in film and television productions requiring historically accurate, period musical accompaniment.

Brandenburg Historica's bilingual staff is well versed in German cultural- and political history, being able to draw on over thirty years of collective experience in studying and retailing German military music, German language books and German military artifacts.

Product Description
This album takes the listener on a musical excursion through the history of the famous Regiment-, Division- and Panzerkorps- "Grossdeutschland", presenting military marches and soldiers’ songs in a compilation that chronicles this elite German military unit's evolution from the "Wachtruppe" - the army guard detachment stationed in Berlin during the Weimar Republic - to the mighty combined arms force of the late war years.

Brandenburg Historica has searched the globe to assemble the priceless 78rpm records (dating from 1928 to 1943) that at we have transcribed for this compilation. Eighteen of this album’s TWENTY tracks feature marches and soldiers' songs that are performed by the unit's own choruses and/or bands, while the remaining selections highlight central aspects of Grossdeutschland’s unit history and wartime career. These rare source recordings have been restored for maximum fidelity while preserving their unique period ambience.

Included in this collection are not only "Grossdeutschland's" official parade march and its presentation march (presented in a rarely heard "honor guard" arrangement with the German national anthem), but also a rare transcription of "Grossdeutsche Grenadiere", the regimental song of GD that features music by GD Obergefreiter Hans-Martin Majewski and lyrics by Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland's commander in the French Campaign, Oberst Gerhard Graf von Schwerin. Also presented is a selection of the parade marches and songs of the German mechanized forces of the Second World War (including a rousing vocal version of the much requested "Panzerlied"), as well as those traditional marches played during guard changing ceremonies and parades in which the "Grossdeutschland" units were regular participants.

Painstakingly researched and produced, the album is accompanied by a lavishly illustrated twenty four-page booklet that presents a detailed overview of "Grossdeutschland's" career, the history of its two bands and detailed background information on the featured musical selections.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GD CD, July 9, 2007

By	Geoffrey P. Pohanka (vienna, va United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This CD is excellent and well worth the price, the sound quality is first class and includes rare music that you probably will not hear elsewhere.
There is also a very detailed history of the Division included with the CD, something that goes beyond the expected. Purchasers will have no regrets when buying this CD.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent compilation, June 25, 2006

By	Hedgehog6 (Florida) - See all my reviews

The twenty tracks on this CD are relevant not only to GD, but to German military music in general, with many well known pieces. Sound quality is excellent, better than I had expected from this kind of archival material. The accompanying liner notes booklet is unusually comprehensive and provides both a brief history of GD and of the various musical selections. Highly recommended!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grossdeutschland Marches, December 3, 2008

By	M. E. Johnston (Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These are some of the world's great marches performed by some of the best instrumentalists of the time. Even though these were recorded between 65 and 80 years ago, the sound quality is excellent, which should come as no surprise since the Germans were at the forefront of recording technology at that time. This arrangement of Westerwald is the most beautiful I have ever heard.