Someone FINALLY got the brass spread right!

[CrownStarr]

Do you even know what atonal music is?

BD is not playing a single atonal piece of music this year, and they also didn't play any in their 2011 production.

THE RITE OF SPRING IS NOT AN ATONAL PIECE OF MUSIC.

You're right, but I think this is a losing battle. Most people think "atonal" means dissonant or unfamiliar, and drum corps is apparently no different.

[soccerguy315]

I went back to 2000...

a .5 gap on finals night would give Crown the biggest spread since at least 2000 (also, I think the sheets changed around 2000?).

BD had a .4 spread in 2010, which was the only spread of that size.

[yellow jacket]

I'd understand a large spread in the performance number, but I think the 99 content score is very questionable. Crown's book just doesn't have the same complexity or depth that BD or even Cadets do, IMO

I disagree.

Crown's book is insanely challenging, and so very well executed.

Cadets show leaves me asking the question: would Samuel Barber approve?

BD's show leaves me asking the question: why do they only give me 30 seconds of the Blue Devils sound?

Crown's show leaves me asking the question: Would you please play that again, and again, and again...?

[DarkHorner]

In person, I honestly could not judge which brass line is 1st out of the top 3. Each line brings something different to the table. Crown has a very signature organ-like sound that no other corps produces. BD has a rich, warm jazzy sound that no other corps produces. Cadets have a high energy dynamic sound that is just classic Cadets and reminds me of the G era to be honest (just something about the energy of this year's line). I love each line for different reasons, and I would love to hear each of them have a chance to play each others' brass books (if only that could happen) to hear the different interpretations of them.

That being said, from the brass scores over the season, Crown probably has the fewest weaknesses at an individual level (remember, brass judges are on the field to assess this). However, all that being said, I think the .5 spread was more of a judge making a statement about how much more he likes this brass line than others rather than being objective about it (just an assumption considering Crown has consistently been .2 over BD or Cadets all season long and Thursday night). Either way, we still have one more night, and I am personally very excited.

[jwillis35]

First off, I don't think we can compare brass books in a "this is better or this is harder" type of assessment. All of the top 3 corps have extremely difficult brass books.

I said last night that Crown uses mostly major tonality, articulations and arpeggios that utilize those major scales, and they use lots of double tonguing. There is some chromaticism, but not a ton. Does this make it hard? Yes, the way it's constructed it's incredibly demanding.

From a pure judging perspective (content, analysis, performance, GE) I'd say the Blue Devils utilize more techniques and demand. There is vastly more chromaticism, more utilization of range (especially for lead trumpet and lead baritones). Articulations, intonation, and control are much more difficult in the ranges BD uses, and BD runs through a wide range of keys, time sigs, tempo, and stylistic transitions than any other corps (Cadets are close some years). BD clearly has their fair share of double tonguing and fast runs, but they have more exposed sections, more solos; and yes their tonal palette is much wider with the use of various chordal textures, colors, and the like.

Now, does any of this mean that what Carolina has is not good composition/arrangement? Not at all. Their book is perfect for what they're doing. BD's book is perfect for what they're doing. Good composition is good composition! A few folks mentioned this to me last night in regard to a post I wrote, and I completely agree.

My point here is this: within the confines of a judged/competitive activity in which the brass performance, content, analysis, and music GE numbers are dependent on what's written on those judging sheets, USUALLY a book like BD is going to pay more dividends. Even if BD doesn't win brass, they often still do well in GE music, percussion, and analysis. And their musical palette allows them to do more with their visual design.

If Crown beats them tonight then I say CONGRATS to CROWN! They deserve it. But when we compare demand and content, and especially with regard to BD, I think the above is worth looking into.

Edited August 10, 2013 by jwillis35

[FeathersUp]

Don't hear a .5 gap at all, but I'm not on the field so it's hard to say. Crown does have the sound I prefer from a hornline though. One of the best sounding lines I've ever heard. BD has an insanely hard book on so many levels, and they are nailing it. Although I prefer Crown's sound and their book sounds harder on the surface, I somewhat agree with Catan. It's also a shame the Cadets are somewhat overlooked and under appreciated in this caption. They have an unreal hornline this year.

Edited August 10, 2013 by FeathersUp

[saxfreq1128]

I literally can point out five places in Crown's show that I can't find anything similar in BD's.

You can just as easily say the same about Crown's show when measured against BD's, though...

Showy runs do not a difficult book make. They're extremely effective and (accordingly) extremely impressive, but it's underselling Crown's brass book to say that the runs are what make that show difficult. And it's waaaaaay underselling BD's show to say that it's not difficult because they don't perform as many runs.

[N.E. Brigand]

I don't think either of the brass books are more difficult than the other. In fact, I really don't think any piece of music is more difficult than any other piece if you consider all aspects. Yes, some are more technically difficult.... but it takes just as much skill to pull off a lyrical aria as a complex piece with 1000 notes. I know from my own practice as a musician I have often spent more time trying to get the perfect attack on one single note than anything else.

Thank you.

[fsubone]

I think the brass score is deserved for Crown. You could pretty much split logs with how crisp their timing is, especially through the closer. BD's line though is insanely good, especially with how complicated the music their playing is. Even more so when different sections are playing different phrases. It's really easy to keep your ears turned on when everyone is playing the same thing, and lock in. It's very hard though to turn your ears off to the rest of the hornline and just listen to what your little section is doing, so both are achieving different things at an extremely high level. I just believe that Crown's line is still that far ahead of everyone else. That and the fact that they right really great parts for their tubas, instead of donuts that get doubled by the synth. That takes some balls to have that much faith in your tuba players.

I do wish though that BD would have used more of the music from Rite and Rewrite. It's a two hour long piece, but they use the same 3 minutes repeated again and again. The opening bassoon solo is cool, but there is a lot of cool music scattered elsewhere through the piece, I don't need to hear the same thing 8 times. Just my thoughts on what is an excellent show, and my favorite from them since 2008

[CrownStarr]

.

I do wish though that BD would have used more of the music from Rite and Rewrite. It's a two hour long piece, but they use the same 3 minutes repeated again and again. The opening bassoon solo is cool, but there is a lot of cool music scattered elsewhere through the piece, I don't need to hear the same thing 8 times. Just my thoughts on what is an excellent show, and my favorite from them since 2008

I'm glad it's not just me who felt that way - there's so much great material (and great for drum corps!) in that piece that I would've looooved to hear them do.