The "British reserve" sound of the Royal Artillery Band, to which some have referred, is, according to friends who actually heard Sousa's Band - the touring band, not the one on records - probably closer to the authentic Sousa sound than to the more "brash" sounds of today to which we have become accustomed. Sousa used cornets, seated on the outside right, from the first circle to the rear, facing the podium. This produced a more mellow sonority than we're accustomed to hearing. This balance is apart from matters of performance style which conductor Brion takes care of well. The music is played, as nearly as can be determined, the way Sousa actually played. For authenticity I heartily recommend all five volumes in this set.
