Editorial Reviews

The art of marching has very nearly disappeared. Outside of marching bands and the armed forces, there are few opportunities other than graduations and weddings, and on those occasions we're probably not even moving in time with the music. All things considered, maybe this isn't such a major loss. But marches have played an undeniable role in music for centuries, whether played straight -- as in the ceremonial grandeur of William Walton's "Crown Imperial" and the patriotic vigor of Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" -- or ironically, as in the slightly askew selection from Prokofiev's "Love for Three Oranges." They turn up in operas ("Aida," "Carmen," "Tannhäuser"), ballets ("The Nutcracker"), and incidental music ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"). Mixing familiar favorites with lesser-known and refreshing examples of the genre by Handel, Meyerbeer, Nielsen, Chabrier, Rimsky-Korsakov, and many others, this survey of marches in all shapes, colors, and sizes is invigorating and enjoyable. The performances are excellent, culled from Decca's huge archive, featuring conductors from Hans Knappertsbusch to Charles Dutoit, with Willi Boskovsky naturally authoritative in the Viennese selections. Scott Paulin, Barnes & Noble

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