- Composer: Edwin Franko Goldman
- Period: Modern (1910-1949)
Review
Although Goldman was standing in the all too conspicuous shadow of John Philip Sousa, the younger man was able to chisel out a sense of individualism in the hundred-odd marches that he wrote. Even when the influence of Sousa is there, Goldman seems to "take the ball and run with it" (an apt metaphor for bandsmen)."Bugles and Drums" is a superb regimental march which seems to take Sousa's "Semper Fidelis" as a point of departure, and employs an extended "dialog" between "natural-tone" bugle-like passages and diatonic ones from the full band. In rousing 6/8, the dialog alternates until a drum break in the middle is followed by a bugle
passage; the passage is repeated with full band joining in with skirling clarinets in counterpoint, highly reminiscent of "Semper Fidelis" and an obvious act of homage from Goldman to the March King. The contours of the closing theme also correspond to that of the Sousa March, but in a wry touch, Goldman lunges the band into a wrenching flattened seventh in the closing bars; is he making the band follow suit with the bugles (in addition to the chord tones based on the tonic, the bugle can only produce the flattened seventh), like a sergeant demanding fresh recruits to fall in? Whatever the intent, the curve-ball is a distinctly Goldmanesque touch to a thrilling march. ~ Wayne Reisig, Rovi
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
| Title | Date |
| America, The Beautiful | 2001 |
| Front & Center | 2011 |
| Riders for the Flag: Famous American Marches | 2004 |
| Screamers: Circus Marches | 1991 |
| Screamers: Circus Marches | 1991 |
| Bugler's Holiday, for orchestra | |
| Bugs Bunny on Broadway, revue |
