King & Eisenberg: Festive Encores

Here are ‘Festive Encores’ by the All-American Band – the best in marching rhythms – music that has proved its worth and earned its right to the high position it now occupies in our American way of life. Starting with the grandiose march, Jacques De Molai, dedicated to the head of the Knights Templar, an early order of the Masons, to the lively Kansas City Star, the pace never lets up as Robert A. Williams directs the ensemble. This collection is made up of marches and concert selections of a colorful variety. The former group includes the collegiate-flavored Winning Colors, appropriate for any sports event, and the high-stepping The Bellwether which honors drum-majors everywhere. Ye Olden Days is a touch of yesteryear in modern instrumentation and Dashing Yankee Boys is a patriotic entry that salutes the Minute Men of the Revolutionary War period. The concert selections are headed by two romantic Karl L King overtures. One portrays the glamor and excitement of Old Vienna when the waltz reigned supreme in the Imperial City. The other goes back further, to the ancient days when Persian poet, Omar Khayam held sway. Additional romantic appeal is conveyed by the exotic Spanish bolero called Castillia, its bright tempo matched only by the lighthearted, carefree polka, full of verve and bounce and devoted to Innamorati – “The Lovers.” These are truly ‘Festive Encores’ that everyone who loves band music will surely enjoy.