Historical/Military Music (1 Viewer)

BLReed said:
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This is the only piece of classical music that I have played at a concert level.

I played the piece with the WASO (West Australian Symphony Orchestra) in the 1970, in the 'concussion' section ....

Yes, that's right, I played the 25 Pounder Field Gun, and the 105mm Howitzer in a number of outdoor concerts for the opening of the Festival of Perth in the 1970's while serving in the Royal Australian Artillery.

Here are some pics of me in various uniforms over a 6 year period :)

1812 overture.jpg Image20.jpg

John
 
I like anything with Pipes and Drums!
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo was heaven for me when I was there!
 
waynepoo said:
This makes me stop and listen and I'm not even a Yank.
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The Battle Hymn of the Republic has to be one of the best out there. It really is timeless.

Here is my favorite French piece (there are so many I love, but this is just so moving):
 
Here at my desk, I listen to a selection of military music, along with a broader range of classical, polkas from old and new artists, and Volksmusi, southern German traditional music, and hunting songs. I've got a stash of CDs here, as well as a couple of YouTube playlists.

As far as martial music goes, that comes from two sources.

One is traditional German and Austrian army marches, which aren't just background tunes for bodies of troops goose-stepping past the reviewing stand, but include many well- and intricately-composed pieces. Many were composed by civilian musicians, and there is a good deal of music from civilian sources in it-from operas and operettas, for example, and from traditional German folk music. The Austrian marches do tend to be a little more lyrical than the other German tunes.

The other is John Philip Sousa's body of work. While he fits into the broader community of music in the West in his day, I think he established a uniquely American style of march music. And to me, his music fits so well with summer in a small town or small city, and especially to celebrating the Fourth of July. Also, Sousa marches are perfect for keeping time and pace when I walk for exercise. I can "hear" them in my head, and I run through a collection of his marches, in the same sequence, when I do a four- or five-mile walk at home.

But the first tune I listen to every weekday, regardless of anything else I may listen to after that, is Ron Goodwin's "Aces High", aka "the Luftwaffe March" from his soundtrack for "The Battle of Britain". Goodwin is an excellent composer, generally, but in that piece, Goodwin, an Englishman very familiar with the British military music tradition, created a piece that sounds authentically German. Many people who hear it and have no more than a passing knowledge of the subject think it's a German march.

Prost!
Brad
 
I listen to a smattering of music from the Civil War, too. I agree with those who have a fondness for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". The lyrics are so moving that I can tear up listening to them. But I'm very finicky about the arrangement. There's one that seems to be popular, given how many times it's been uploaded, that includes an instrumental prelude. I think it was performed at a Fourth of July celebration or some other observance, during President Reagan's administration. I don't like it. I like a simpler vocal rendition. I think there was one included in the soundtrack to Ken Burns' "The Civil War" documentary, that I really liked, but I haven't tracked it down.

In fact, I like pretty much all of the arrangements of music used in that soundtrack, including the "theme", "Ashokan Farewell", which is like Goodwin's "Aces High"--it's not a piece contemporary to the story, but it's written so well that everyone thinks it's an American folk tune from the 1860s.

Prost!
Brad
 
In the early 1960s, Columbia Masterworks issued "The Union" and "The Confederacy," music from the Civil War. I have both LPs as well as a cd of the Union. Just fantastic music. Here is my favorite.

https://youtu.be/Bnv4UJ9eWyM
 
Frankfort, KY hosted a gathering of Civil War bands a few yrs ago. The bands serenaded the town that weekend with concerts. The culmination was a "battle of the bands" on Sunday afternoon in an open air park. The highlight for me was Battle Hymn Of The Republic accompanied by a battery of 12 pounders. Thrilling.

Note the instruments pointing to the rear for the benefit of the marching troops behind the band. Chris





 
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