Gifted Leadership: An Anthology of March Masterpieces
16-Jul-2006
Brass Band of Columbus
Conductor: Dr. Paul Droste, Tim Jameson and Tony Zilincik
Total Playing Time: 65.05
Gifted Leadership is the first commercial recording by the 10 time North American Brass Band Champions since their Christmas Album in 2001. It also marks the first recording produced under the tenure of their new MD, Tim Jameson.
One of the goals of the band under Jameson's leadership is to continue to move forward, but at the same time pay homage to the past, and the path that lead the band to today's success. As a result you can hear a tribute to the "gifted leadership" of the bands founder and MD for the first 20 years, Paul Droste. In fact, many of the marches on the CD are from archival recordings of the band under Droste's baton.
Putting together a CD entirely made of marches can be somewhat of a risk as the variability is destined to be somewhat limiting. However, what the Brass Band of Columbus has put together is something quite unique. First of all, the packing for the CD is fantastic. Having quite a few band historians amongst its present and past members, the band put together an extensive insert with detailed programme notes on every march. The 30 page booklet is a fine reference and almost worth the price by itself.
The selection of pieces is also quite exciting. With 23 tracks on the CD one could not very well imagine a CD without some of the classic marches by Rimmer and Sousa. So, as not to disappoint, one can find ‘The Cossack' and ‘The Victors Return', both well-played, but perhaps with a bit of an American accent. The disk also contains some of the Sousa classics ‘King Cotton', ‘El Capitan', ‘Hail to the Spirit of Liberty' and ‘Washington Post'.
The band couldn't pass on some of the quality march composers from their home state of Ohio as there are some fine marches by both Karl King and Henry Fillmore. Many have heard the ‘Melody Shop', but unless reading the program notes, may not realize it was written about a small music store in Ohio. Fillmore's ‘Americans We' is played with the classic finesse that Columbus is known for.
What really makes this CD special is the more than half-dozen plus marches that can't be found elsewhere. Even the title track, Fillmore's ‘Gifted Leadership' has been rarely recorded. There is a recording premiere of the brass band arrangement of Sousa's ‘Library of Congress March' (although that may be one of the few in which the listener can tell why it was buried in the Library until a few years ago). Additionally, there are a few Salvation Army marches (‘God and Country' and ‘Marching Onward') that made the cut.
The real attractions to this CD are all the supplemental information that comes with it and the incredible variety of marches on it. Some of the march purists may be a bit disappointed that the band does not take every repeat in all the marches. However, if you do enjoy your marches and would like to hear some something a little different played by a good band, you can look no further than Gifted Leadership.
Pat Herak
What's on this CD?
1. March "Grandioso" — Roland Seitz, 2.39
2. Gifted Leadership — Henry Fillmore, 3.13
3. King Cotton, John Philip Sousa, 2.40
4. Joyce's 71st N.Y. Regiment March, T.B. Boyer, arr. Mayhew Lake, 2.36
5. God and Country, William Himes, 3.07
6. The Melody Shop, Karl King, 1.52
7. El Capitan March, John Philip Sousa, 2.21
8. The Cossack, William Rimmer, 4.21
9. Americans We, Henry Fillmore, 2.55
10. Power and Glory (March of the Mitten Men), John Philip Sousa, 3.05
11. Through Bolts and Bars, Ernst Urbach, 3.03
12. Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, John Philip Sousa, 2.20
13. 'Neath the Flag, George Marshall, 3.09
14. Solid Men to the Front, John Philip Sousa, 3.50
15. The Champions, G.H. Wilcocks, arr. Derek Broadbent, 2.34
16. Library of Congress March, John Philip Sousa, arr. Stephen Bulla, 2.28
17. The Victors Return, William Rimmer, 2.07
18. Marching Onward, Ivor Bosanko, 3.23
19. Hail to the Spirit of Liberty, John Philip Sousa, 3.16
20. The Waltonian, J. Richards, arr. Wyss, 2.31
21. The Washington Post March, John Philip Sousa, arr. Eric Leidzen, 2.33
22. Robinson's Grand Entree March, Karl King, 2.09
23. National Emblem, E. E. Bagley, 2.53
Total Playing Time: 65.05
