Customer Reviews

Strictly Sousa

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

 

 

When I purchased this CD, I did not know what to expect (this is the first CD I purchased with only marches on it). But, I knew if it was from Reference Recordings, the sound would be spectacular! Spectacular marches from a spectacular bandmaster from a spectacular recording label equals something much more than spectacular, to say nothing of the spectacular performances of the Dallas Wind Symphony! To describe this HDCD as a toe-tapper is setting the bar far too low. Listening to just a few of these marches can change a gloomy day to sunny - and I mean it! These marches are impeccably played with such verve and gusto that you are transported right to Main Street USA. And all this marching emotion is captured as faithfully as possible by the "Professor" Keith O. Johnson of Reference Recordings.

If this CD does not get your heart pumping, better call 911!

A GREAT CD not to be missed!

This recording is unique. I've heard lots of march recordings, and the Dallas Wind Symphony takes a different approach. This is real music. Sousa was a great composer and this recording gets him out of the oom-pah crash-crash rut. There's subtlety here, variations, detail, and the recording itself shows it all with great dynamic range. It's as if Beethoven met Sousa in Dallas.

I had high hopes for this CD, having heard some wonderful stuff from Reference Recordings, but I found it disappointing on two counts. First, and least important, the recording is actually not all that good, at least in terms of the material being played. Any good march has to stand on the foundation of the percussion section, but here the snare drum is distant and muddy, while the bass drum is indistinct. Between the acoustic, which is quite reverberant, and the microphone placement, there just isn't enough clarity and separation of the instruments and parts for my taste. The second, and more serious, concern is in the performance, which is competent, but not exhilarating. This music should stand up and salute, not wave pleasantly from the sidelines, but here it's played politely. The dynamic gestures are all large scale, where they should be at the level of phrases and beats. For comparison, and to hear how these marches should be played, listen to Frederick Fennell's versions on the old Mercury recordings or, just as good, Gunther Schuller's "Footlifters," which really is played with gusto. All are here on Amazon.

Absolutely love this CD! A great collection of my favorite marches and it is well done by this orchestra. My only issue with it is that I was expecting better sound dynamics. The whole CD seems quiet to me. When I used to play marches in the school band I was used to the thunderous, booming crescendos! Eh, I just turn it up louder! Also, my 8-month old son loves this CD. He perks right up and claps when I put it on.