the wind band was well respected as a concert vehicle during the age of the professional
bands. The legacy of Gilmore, Sousa, and so many others was handed down to a few good
ensembles--notably the Goldman Band and the military bands which played such an
important role in preserving the heritage of the wind band. Many outstanding ensembles also began
to form in the colleges and universities across the United States, due in no small part to the
immense growth of primary school bands. But except for marches, the literature performed still
almost exclusively consisted of transcriptions, primarily of orchestral works.