Across the Pond / Various Artists [2 CDs]

Around the turn of the 20th c., military marches entered their golden age. During the decades between the American Civil War and World War I, a vast majority of march repertoire would be composed for bands of all kinds and purposes. And while American composers like Henry Fillmore, Karl King and John Philip Sousa often serve as the faces of the march, it is important to recognize that the genre originated and matured Across the Pond. This album is a collection of fifty quality marches written by European composers, representing nine countries (and Australia). The tracks themselves range from the most traditional of military marches, to more theatrical and concert marches, to Spanish paso dobles, all representational of the march’s golden age. This two-disc set features a booklet with biographical information on the composers.