INKPOT#76 CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEWS: Great Marches. New York Philharmonic/Bernstein (Sony Bernstein Century)

Great Marches

New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein

SONY Classical Bernstein Century SMK 63154
[71:25] mid-price

by Ng Yeuk Fan, dedicated to fellow lover of marches, Lo Hong Yee

Many of these are familar pieces that I played while in secondary school as a member of the band. The endless marching and the many hours in the sun all adds to the sense of warm nostalgia as I recalled the music in this album.

It is amazing how catchy some of these tunes are – short, simple and effective. Many are works for military bands, by John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) or some British equivalent. They serve a crucial inspirational function at ceremonies for the armed forces, played at march-pasts, military displays and formal functions.

Still other marches have a less serious role but are no less dramatic – being theatrical masterpieces within operas to generate dramatic fervour when their composers required their exciting rhythms. Nevertheless, the present collection represents a kind of ‘musical patriotism’ transcending all boundaries, with contributions from not just America and Britain but Italy, France and Germany as well.

The crucial question: is it good music? I am sure everyone who’s played them would be affirmative of the great joy involved. But there are those who detest the noisy repetitive snare drums rattling to the beat of the omnipresent bass drum – well, I guess if it is functional, we have to forgive it and look elsewhere for the merits. Perhaps Sousa and his other composer friends did not have alternative choices – or else the marching would simply go haywire!

In any case it need not always be noisy – while you go looking for the merits, there are many fascinating ‘concert’ marches in this offering such as Johann Strauss Senior’s Radetsky March and Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No.1. The operas provide another rich source (or need) for the creation of marches – Verdi’s “Grand March” from Ada, Bizet’s “March of the Toradors” from Carmen, Prokofiev’s March from The Love of the Three Oranges and Meyebeer’s “Coronation March” from Le prophte, etc… they are by any standards fine examples of fantastical music writing.

The Stars and Stripes Forever
Let martial note in triumph float
And liberty extend its mighty hand
A flag appears ‘mid thunderous cheers,
The banner of the Western land.
The emblem of the brave and true
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
The red and white and starry blue
Is freedom’s shield and hope.
Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom’s nation.

Hurrah for the flag of the free!
May it wave as our standard forever,
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

Let eagle shriek from lofty peak
The never-ending watchword of our land;
Let summer breeze waft through the trees
The echo of the chorus grand.
Sing out for liberty and light,
Sing out for freedom and the right.
Sing out for Union and its might,
O patriotic sons. Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation,
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom’s nation.

Hurrah for the flag of the free.
May it wave as our standard forever
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with might endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray,
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

There is no shortage of merit in the lively playing of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leonard Bernstein. This choice of professionalism may be to some a sort of ‘official’ stamp of approval for these ‘suspect’ marches usually played by marine and concert bands, but hey, Bernstein doesn’t hesitate to play marches with his favourite orchestra! In any case, if you need it (the approval) this version is certainly the one to get. One trusts Berstein to unleash the excitement in these effeverscent works while retaining the concert allure of the operatic and stage pace-makers.

Bernstein captures truly beautiful moments of sustained rapture in many of the trio sections, especially Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance march, complete with ‘Edwardian’ grace. The piccolo soli in The Stars and Stripes Forever have never sounded more exciting or neck-breaking to me. True to his huge wit and charm, one ‘kow-tows’ (Chinese for bowing till one’s head touches one’s toes, a sign of deep reverential respect) to Bernstein’s impeccable musical taste in his reading of Ippolitov-Ivanov’s enigmatically melodious Procession of the Sardar, the affably fun Colonel Bogey and the grand Fest March from Wagner’s Tannhuser.

Recorded between 1965 and 1971, there is a slight failing in the dynamic brilliance that would be expected in a modern day concert recording – but this is a small price to pay for the assured opinons of Maestro Bernstein and at that, none on the market will offer as tantalising a selection for the march fanatic or the occasional music explorer. Whether you like it or not, marches are needed in life, so the bustling noise aside, they can become easy listening on a warm afternoon and I hope you find them addictive too.

Ng Yeuk Fan wishes that the D107 stars will never fade.

Back to the Classical Index!… or read previous classical music reviews from the Inkvault Archives!

477: 16.5.1999. up.20.5.1999Ng Yeuk Fan

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