I too have always loved the Fennell/Eastman recordings of British band
music.  I recall playing these pieces during my junior/senior high school
years.  And I was "imprinted" by the original Mercury LP recording of the
Holst and Vaughan Williams works, first seeing it in my band teacher's
office some 30 years ago and listening to it on his phonograph seemingly
until it wore out.  Half the fun of the Folk Song Suite for an adolescent
boy was learning that some of the original lyrics to the Folk Songs from
"Zoomerzett" were a bit on the naughty side....

So far I've had to make do with a re-channeled stereo LP Golden Imports
remake (actually not too badly done), but will keep an eye out for the CD.

Richard Pennycuick recommended some of the other CD reissues of Fennell's
Eastman recordings of both British and American band music, and I would
second his recommendation.  He also said:

>Finally, a warning against a Telarc CD which I bought in desperation
>secondhand one day and discovered the release of the Mercury CD the next.
>It contains Fennell and the EWE in both Holst suites, a fantasia by Bach,
>and Handel's Fireworks Music.  Not only are the Holst suites not as sharp
>and electric as the Mercury recordings (although the bass drum will scare
>the wits out of any small life forms under your floor, not to mention your
>neighbours), but the rest of the CD is somewhat less than essential; the
>whole thing runs only 43:32, which is just ridiculous.  No, the Mercury is
>the one to have.

The timing on this CD reflects the fact that it was originally issued
as one of the first mass-marketed "digital" LPs issued by Telarc in the
late 70s.  I guess they never saw fit to reissue it with additional filler
material.  However, I'm not quite as down on the performances as Richard;
while I do miss some of the revelatory exuberance of the mono recordings,
these are NOT with the Eastman group, but with the Cleveland Symphonic
Winds, IIRC.  And the Fireworks Music (done with modern band instruments)
comes across justly as perhaps the best "predecessor" to the Holst and VW
works in the "British band" repertoire.

Bill H.