Customer Reviews

Sousa, Vol. 4

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

 

 

One of the slightly better Altissimo! titles on Sousa. Here we have a series of live recordings taken from Marine band tours. The sound quality is a bit off at times, but overall they sound good. For a change Altissimo! has provided a few liner notes, something they were too cheap to do before. The length of the CD is close to an hour, a bit better than the 45 min. quickies these guys usually put out. Still over-priced for what you git, but probably the best in the Sousa series from Altissimo! I think I would still go with the Naxos series on Sousa.

This CD is not mid-range quality but the best buy out there. The performances are excellent and the recording quality very good; the band playing to a very appreciative audience.

I've many CDs of Sousa, including the other 3 Sousa Originals and some top-class performances by the Eastman Wind Ensemble (directed by Frederick Fennell)on Mercury and the Royal Marines Band (conducted by GAC Hoskins)on the EMI label but Sousa 4 is my favorite. If looking to start a collection again I wouldn't buy the Sousa Original box set, preferring to get Sousa 4, the Fennell and Hoskins recordings for a comprehensive range of interpretations(the other 3 Originals are very good by any standard but I think the Fennell and Hoskins better).

There's so many Sousa albums out there, many of them poor, that you can be picky, and Sousa 4 is the one to pick first.

I own all four of the Sousa CD's recorded by the United States Marine Band. Unlike the other three, this CD features recordings of "The President's Own" live in concert. The band sounds great with a powerful brass section anchored by a bass bone player who really cuts through. Tight technical passages in the woodwind section really impress.

I enjoy the marches but also appreciate hearing a really nice song such as "In the Land of the Golden Fleece" which shows Sousa's versatility. You're not cheated on music here, either. There are seventeen great songs including an historic 1890 recording of "National Fencibles". Even though the fidelity isn't good, hearing a Sousa march conducted by Sousa himself is a treat.

Finally, I really like the notes on each song which provide historical background. Way to go Altissimo!

I originally purchased this CD for the track "White Rose March" because I absolutely love that song, but couldn't find it anywhere else. However, when I received the CD and began listening to it, I discovered a bunch of new Sousa songs that are awesome! I recommend this for any Sousa fan, but not if you're just getting into his music, because it doesn't have this most famous tunes (or greatest hits, if you will)--it contains more of the underplayed ones (like White Rose!) But definitely a good buy!