Notes and Editorial Reviews
TEMPO DI BOURGEOIS
•
Col. John Bourgeois, cond; Keystone Wind E
•
KLAVIER K11187 (64:29)
JAGER
Esprit de Corps.
SOUSA
People Who Live in Glass Houses.
TCHAIKOVSKY
Cherevichki:
Fanfares.
Swan Lake:
4 Dances.
HALVORSEN
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class="ARIAL12bi">Little Masquerade Suite.
KNOX
Sea Songs.
WAGNER
Lohengrin:
Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral
Colonel John Bourgeois was for many years commander/conductor of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Corps Band in Washington, D.C., considered by many to be our nation’s premier symphonic band. His career with the band spanned the administrations of nine presidents, from Eisenhower to Clinton, during which time Bourgeois became something of a musical icon, not only within the band world, but in the larger classical music community as well. By the time he stepped down as conductor of the band in July of 1996, Bourgeois was so well known that his retirement was covered on a national level by the major television networks. This disc is not only a fitting tribute to a great musician and a great musical career, it is also a very pleasurable listening experience.
All but two of the works were either arranged or edited by Bourgeois, and those two—Robert Jager’s
Esprit de Corps
and Thomas Knox’s
Sea Songs—
have Marine Band connections. The Jager was commissioned by Bourgeois and the Marine Band and is described as “a kind of fantasy-march” based on
The Marines’ Hymn
. The work is lively and spirited (as one might expect), but leaves little lasting impression. Not so of Thomas Knox’s brilliant
Sea Songs
, a wonderfully inventive rhapsody on American nautical songs and sea chanties. Knox was staff arranger of the Marine Band from 1961 to 1985, during which time he composed and arranged more than 260 works for the band.
Sea Songs
is highlighted by an absolutely gorgeous setting of
Shenandoah
(my favorite American folk song) and concludes with a thrilling set of variations on
What Do We Do With the Drunken Sailor.
Bourgeois’s transcriptions are all skillfully wrought. Most effective is Johan Halvorsen’s
Little Masquerade Suite,
which includes four movements—“Cotillion,” “Rooster Dance,” “Grotesque Dance,” and “Bacchanale”—from the original eight-movement orchestral version. The Tchaikovsky arrangements also work well, though some may miss the lushness of the original string scoring. Bourgeois’s edition of John Philip Sousa’s
People Who Live in Glass Houses
suite allows us to hear a side of the March King with which most of us are unfamiliar. Each of its four movements delightfully celebrates a different “potent potable”—“The Champagnes,” “The Rhine Wines,” “The Whiskies—Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, and Rye,” and “Convention of the Cordials.” The music is light, breezy, tuneful, and just plain fun. The disc concludes with the warhorse
Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral
. One decision any arranger must make when transcribing this work is how to fabricate a concert ending of an excerpt that in the opera transitions into another section. Bourgeois’s ending seems a bit inflated to me, quoting as it does at least two passages from other parts of the opera and adding an organ for additional sonic impact. Still, there’s no denying that it brings the work and the entire disc to an exhilarating conclusion.
The Keystone Wind Ensemble plays magnificently throughout, and with Bourgeois himself on the rostrum the interpretations are convincing and authoritative. The sound provided by engineer Bruce Leek is of demonstration quality. Recommended, and not just to band enthusiasts.
FANFARE: Merlin Patterson
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Works on This Recording
1.
Esprit de Corps, for band by Robert Jäger
Conductor:
John R. Bourgeois
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Keystone Wind Ensemble
Period: Contemporary
Venue: Fisher Auditorium, Performing Arts Cente
Length: 5 Minutes 21 Secs.
3.
Sea Songs, for symphonic band by Thomas Knox
Conductor:
John R. Bourgeois
Period: 20th Century
Written: United States
Venue: Fisher Auditorium, Performing Arts Cente
Length: 9 Minutes 5 Secs.
5.
The slippers: Polonaise by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Conductor:
John R. Bourgeois
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885; Russia
Venue: Fisher Auditorium, Performing Arts Cente
Length: 6 Minutes 35 Secs.
8.
Swan Lake, Op. 20: no 22, Act 3 - Danse napolitaine by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Performer:
William Stowman (Trumpet)
Conductor:
John R. Bourgeois
Period: Romantic
Written: 1875-1876; Russia
Venue: Fisher Auditorium, Performing Arts Cente
Length: 2 Minutes 24 Secs.
9.
Swan Lake, Op. 20: no 23, Act 3 - Mazurka by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Conductor:
John R. Bourgeois
Period: Romantic
Written: 1875-1876; Russia
Venue: Fisher Auditorium, Performing Arts Cente
Length: 4 Minutes 56 Secs.
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