The warm welcome accorded to Guild Music’s first "Bandstand In The Park" collection (GL5117) has prompted a second generous helping from an area of the music world not that far distant from the traditional realms of Light Music. Indeed one of the strengths of Light Music is that it often happily strays into other areas of music making, which in turn brings added benefits in the form of new styles and ideas which provide the stimulus for future development. The brass and military bands featured in this collection frequently showcase playing of the highest order: if you require confirmation just listen to Sir Dan Godfrey’s brilliant arrangement of Borodin’s "Prince Igor" Dances, where the musicians in the BBC Wireless Military Band are simply outstanding. Works by leading Light Music composers such as Coates, Farnon and Strachey happily rub shoulders alongside the ’band boys’ like Sousa and Komzak.
"Most enjoyable and very well worth investigating …"
Bob Briggs
Interpretation **** Sound Quality *** Repertoire *** Booklet **** Erik Daumann