Audio CD review:
John Philip Sousa, David T. Shaw, George M. Cohan, Anonymous, Dan Kelly, American Traditional, George William Warren, Edmund L. Gruber, L.Z. Phillips, Robert M. Crawford - Majesty of America

John Philip Sousa, David T. Shaw, George M. Cohan, Anonymous, Dan Kelly, American Traditional, George William Warren, Edmund L. Gruber, L.Z. Phillips, Robert M. Crawford - Majesty of America

Band: John Philip Sousa, David T. Shaw, George M. Cohan, Anonymous, Dan Kelly, American Traditional, George William Warren, Edmund L. Gruber, L.Z. Phillips, Robert M. Crawford Title: Majesty of America Rating: Release Date: 20 August, 2002 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: The Stars And Stripes Forever! 2: Columbia, The Gem Of The Ocean 3: You're A Grand Old Flag 4: Rock Of Ages 5: Home On The Range 6: He's Got The Whole World In His Hands 7: My Country! 'Tis Of Thee 8: The Yankee Doodle Boy 9: Down In The Valley 10: God Of Our Fathers 11: The Caissons Go Rolling Along 12: The Marine's Hymn 13: The United States Air Force Song 14: This Land Is Your Land 15: Onward, Christian Soldiers 16: Anchors Aweigh 17: Navy Hymn (Eternal Father) 18: Shenandoah 19: Battle Hymn Of The Republic 20: Semper Fidelis 21: The Star Spangled Banner 22: Deep River 23: The Thunderer 24: America, The Beautiful 25: The Battle Cry Of Freedom 26: When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again 27: This Is My Country 28: God Bless America

Editoral Review The Choir, directed by Richard P. This two-CD set is a newly remastered compilation of 28 songs taken from the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir's recordings of the 1960s and '70s. Conde, is supported by alternating organists, the Columbia Symphonic Band, the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The conductors include Arthur Harris, Jerold D. Ottley, and the great Eugene Ormandy. The singing is superb. The 300-voice choir's justly famous sound, which combines depth, weight, and clarity, and its impeccable intonation, balance, and flexibility are everywhere in evidence, while the splendid instrumental forces set mood and atmosphere and add the luster of triumphantly ringing trumpets to the many rousing marches. The mostly familiar popular songs celebrate prideful uplift and patriotic fervor; partly "traditional," partly "composed," they deserve their status as universal favorites. Unfortunately, they are consistently compromised by the quality of the arrangements, which owe more to the Hollywood soundtrack than to the indigenous American musical tradition. They are full of infelicitous modulations, abrupt key changes, and incongruous introductions, and several vocal settings seem at variance with the meaning of the song. Woody Guthrie's beloved "This Land Is Your Land" is almost unrecognizable; "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" is sung too "straight" and lacks the idiomatic style and inflection of a spiritual. Most convincing are Sousa's marches and devout hymns like "Rock of Ages," which are allowed to retain their simplicity and speak for themselves. --Edith Eisler .. You can see a complete list of all John Philip Sousa, David T. Shaw, George M. Cohan, Anonymous, Dan Kelly, American Traditional, George William Warren, Edmund L. Gruber, L.Z. Phillips, Robert M. Crawford discography, or go back to the John Philip Sousa, David T. Shaw, George M. Cohan, Anonymous, Dan Kelly, American Traditional, George William Warren, Edmund L. Gruber, L.Z. Phillips, Robert M. Crawford tabs