Sharing Music Memories

Band of the Grenadier Guards – An Album of Sousa Marches and music by Holst, Rosse, Ansell & Wood


Sunday, October 9th, 2011

KHCD-2011-084 (MONO) – An Album of  Military Band Music – Music by Sousa; Holst: First Suite for Military Band, Op. 28;  Rosse: The Merchant of Venice; Ansell: Three Irish Pictures; Wood: Three Dale Dances – Band of the Grenadier Guards The regiment of the Grenadier Guards was founded by King Charles II in 1656 as “The Royal Regiment of Guards”. They have always been regarded as the most loyal, valiant and professional of soldiers. Not the least of their distinctions, however, is their fine tradition of martial music. Familiar marches by Sousa, as well as Holst’s First Suite for Military Band and less well-known pieces by Rosse, Ansell and Wood are featured, with the precise playing and unique timbre of the Band of the Grenadier Guards. Recorded with Decca/London’s ffrr technique, this is a terrific introduction to the British military band sound, so different from the sometimes “aggressive” American wind band sound many of us know.

The stereo versions of these classic military band recordings are very difficult to find; if I ever do find stereo copies, I will remaster this album. In the meantime, the classic Decca/London  ffrr mono sound shines on this disc.

 

More later – Cheers – Curt Timmons

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