thePerfectbuzz Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I would argue otherwise. Judges are looking for the total package. A show like 2003 Cadets was very difficult and very clean (1st and 2nd in pretty much every performance caption) but only got the bronze. GE got their goat, and I think it was to a large degree because there wasn't much uniting the whole show. ding ding ding!! we have a winner.....without the narration The Cadets show would have been very similar to Cadets 2003....three fast pieces that were fun but a show that lacked a complete theme...at least compared to the obvious themes in spin cycle and something about being cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tapper7 Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Ill try to be brief. They were a GREAT corps. Vis/Brass/Ens/Battery/Guard -----> all box 5. The problem for me was the narration and not because I am necesarrily against it, but because it removed a lot of clarity from the ensemble. I'd hear a voice come in and start to focus on it. I could usually only understand part of it. Then the voice would cut out and id look back at the ensemble and go, "okay - now I'm lost again." It would help if i could see the show again (and i want to, so I can "get it") and maybe it would read better if i wasnt in the cheap seats, but, the narration reduced ensemble cohesion in a big way - to wit - it just didnt "gel" side note on the + side: hornline was warm/dark/beautiful - hats off! CF at end of show was very clean - my angle wouldve shown any/all mistakes and I saw NONE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcn8 Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 About a million years ago Santa Clara Vanguard played a piece called A Young Person's Guide to Drum Corps. I believe they won two championships playing that one. Somewhere along the line I heard the original piece which is called A Young Person's Guide to the Orchesta. I don't remember much about it, but it is an education piece with narration explaining what each instrument was with a music sample following. As soon as I figured out what Cadets show was supposed to be, I was reminded of this piece of music. This is a great analogy. The intent of The Cadets' show this year is perfectly consistent with A Young Person's Guide to Orchestra. Coincidentally, they played that piece in 2001 and it was great. Perhaps a more literal reference to source material such as this might have better connected the narration to the music. Instead, I was left with a feeling that they were performing a random show (and a great one) and simply explaining (in too much detail) the various aspects that go into performing it, which didn't work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manedible Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 This is a great analogy. The intent of The Cadets' show this year is perfectly consistent with A Young Person's Guide to Orchestra. Coincidentally, they played that piece in 2001 and it was great. Perhaps a more literal reference to source material such as this might have better connected the narration to the music. Instead, I was left with a feeling that they were performing a random show (and a great one) and simply explaining (in too much detail) the various aspects that go into performing it, which didn't work for me. On the other hand, some of the noobs around me who were watching greatly appreciated it. True, the majority of us know what a melody is, but I think the concept was especially nice for people just getting into drum corps. My $.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Let's go back to that classic show, 1993 Star of Indiana. When they performed that show, people HATED it...but oh look, nearly everyone does some form of body movement now. I feel compelled to point out that corps were doing body movement long before Star's show in '93. Star may have taken it to a new level, but Santa Clara -- the corps proper, not just the guard -- was doing tons of body movement long before that. And so were many other corps, but the way Santa Clara did it, to contribute to the overall visual effect, really stands out in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 the funniest thing iv ever heard came from a old man at dci san antonio "what the hell is all that talking???" LOL! :P Even my husband, who is a novice to the whole drum crops thing, felt that the narration was stridently out-of-place with the style of performance that is drum corps. I didn't say a word to him about it, but when we were at a show in Evansville, he turned to me with this quizzical expression when the narration started. And then he just shook his head, baffled. He couldn't understand why corps would clutter their performances with an overly obvious monologue. He doesn't like it much in winter guard either, but feels it's more appropriate there because the music is pre-recordered and run through speakers, so the effect isn't nearly as jarring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSnareline Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 the funniest thing iv ever heard came from a old man at dci san antonio "what the hell is all that talking???" Yep - Took my Mother to her first ever DCI show - and she said - can't they just shut up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Dangnabit! We were doin' that new fangled body movement in Regiment back in 1989. and Why does Star keep getting credit for the body movement trend. Happened pre-93, and by quite a few groups. True. My earlier post specified Santa Clara (only because they stick out in my mind with what they were doing), but countless other corps did it, too. And did it very well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatguywiththehat Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 distraction from the achievements that the drum corps was doing. I'm sure the DVDs will be a camera shot free day of the people talking and not the corps doing what they do the best. great show, i didn't really care about the narration so i didn't listen to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 About a million years ago Santa Clara Vanguard played a piece called A Young Person's Guide to Drum Corps. I believe they won two championships playing that one. Somewhere along the line I heard the original piece which is called A Young Person's Guide to the Orchesta. I don't remember much about it, but it is an education piece with narration explaining what each instrument was with a music sample following. As soon as I figured out what Cadets show was supposed to be, I was reminded of this piece of music. Yet, Santa Clara managed to perform this piece perfectly well, sans narration, way back in the dinosaur days. And people got it. Imagine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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