Brass, Reeds, and Percussion: January 11, 2024

This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features original classical wind-band music that depicts a hunting trip and 1960s music from television shows. But this edition opens with a big hit from 1968: “Those Were the Days.” Boris Fomin, a Russian who lived from 1900 to 1948, composed the music with original lyrics by a Russian poet. Gene Raskin, an American, wrote the English lyrics; and Mary Hopkin, an English singer, recorded the song for the newly minted Apple Records, encouraged by Beatle Paul McCartney, who played the acoustic guitar for the recording. The song was a number-one hit in Great Britain, Canada, and France. In the United States, it topped at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

1. Those Were the Days
   Composer:  Boris Fomin (1900-1948)
   Performer:  Belgian Navy Band
   Album:  Light Music, Vol. 1
     
2. Partita Berdlersgarn: Allegro
   Composer:  Jiri Druzecky (1745-1819)
   Performer:  Collegium Musicum Prague
   Album:  Hunting Music of Old Czech Masters
     
3. Partita Berdlersgarn: Menuetto
   Composer:  Jiri Druzecky (1745-1819)
   Performer:  Collegium Musicum Prague
   Album:  Hunting Music of Old Czech Masters
     
4. Partita Berdlersgarn: Allegro con variazioni
   Composer:  Jiri Druzecky (1745-1819)
   Performer:  Collegium Musicum Prague
   Album:  Hunting Music of Old Czech Masters
     
5. Fifth Suite for Band: Hoe Down
   Composer:  Alfred Reed (1921-2005)
   Performer:  Osaka Muncipal Symphonic Band
   Album:  New Wind Repertoire 1996
     
6. Fifth Suite for Band: Sarabande
   Composer:  Alfred Reed
   Performer:  Osaka Muncipal Symphonic Band
   Album:  New Wind Repertoire 1996
     
7. Fifth Suite for Band: Yamabushi Kagura
   Composer:  Alfred Reed
   Performer:  Osaka Muncipal Symphonic Band
   Album:  New Wind Repertoire 1996
     
8. La Bamba
   Composer:   Traditional, arranged by Bob Gay & Marcel Peters
   Performer:  Belgian Navy Band
   Album:  Light Music, Vol. 1
     
9. Observier Marsch (Observer March)
   Composer:  Carl Teike (1864-1922)
   Performer:  Royal Swedish Navy Band
   Album:  Carl Teike Marches, Vol. 1
     
10. Fahnenjunker Marsch (Cadet March)
    Composer:  Carl Teike (1864-1922)
    Performer:  Royal Swedish Navy Band
    Album:  Carl Teike Marches, Vol. 1
      
11. Flee as a Bird & Oh, Didn't He Ramble (1950 recording)
    Composer:  Mary Dana Shindler (1810-1883), J. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954), James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) & Bob Cole (1868-1911)
    Performer:  Louis Armstrong & His Allstars
    Album:  Best of Dixieland: Louis Armstrong
      
12. Nervous (from "The Dick Powell Show"
    Composer:  Richard Shores (1917-2001)
    Performer:  Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra
    Album:  TV Top Themes
      
13. Theme from "Naked City"
    Composer:  Billy May (1916-2004)
    Performer:  Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra
    Album:  TV Top Themes
      
14. Theme from "Ben Casey"
    Composer:  David Raksin (1912-2004)
    Performer:  Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra
    Album:  TV Top Themes