paultxsa Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 NOTE: Since people here don't read, I'm going to summarize my post.Why is it when Crown/Bluecoats/Boston/etc play college marching band shows and get high praise but it isn't okay for the Cadets to use narration? What is the line of what's marching and what isn't? Original Post: I stand before you today, asking, nay, begging for someone to answer this question for me. What is the difference between drum corps and marching band. People post on this board a lot, they complain about how Hopkins is making the activity more "like marching band". What I don't get is, what about all the marching band-esque qualities that people here put up high on a pedestal. Is playing "Eye of the Tiger", the theme from Rocky, cute renditions of "Barber of Seville" and the opening fanfare from "Also Spracht Zarathusa" really the territory for semi-professional musical ensembles such as drum and bugle corps? People eat some of that stuff up and it is probably more marching band like than anything a narration or saxophone could do. I don't want this to be any sort of "bash fest" and I hope the moderators and other posters are kind to this thread, but when I see moments like the Bluecoats ballad, or Boston's opener, or Crown, I think "Ohio State Marching Buckeyes". So can someone please tell me why people simply slide past these differences? Even though this seems like just another thread to let people know that you're angry that everybody doesn't love the Cadet's use of narration, I'll weigh in anyway. To the first part of your summary: Please tell me which college marching bands/marching band shows played, performed, or practiced to the level of the shows you reference? It could be just that I haven't seen them, but I haven't seen it....college band students are usually too busy trying to pass classes to spend 12 hours a day rehearsing a marching show....high school (boa or otherwise) even less likely. It may be that your use of "marching band" as an insult just comes from others use here on this forum, but I think the use of that term (I am guility of this as much as anyone else) probably is just intended to convey some 'minor league' status toward a performance or show design. Now, why isn't it "okay for the cadets to use narration"? The Cadets can do whatever they like. But I think it is also "okay" for the audience to look at it and say that their particular use of narration is too ______ for a DCI caliber show. (marching band, campy, amateur, poor quality) Understrstand, I am not taking a stand for or against all narration. When I first saw Crown's 'Bohemia' show, I thought all of DCI was screwed forever, but the relatively little narration on the other shows this year and last don't disrupt the talent or the show on the field (for me). I know this is going to upset you again. So go ahead and be mad. The Cadets hornline in the parking lot the last couple of years blew me away and I'm sure will this year too, but the quality of the narration (and probably the quantity of it as well) leaves me wishing for less. As far as rep, sometimes "cute" conveys the emotion that the corp is going for...is it being done well? ...is the arrangement high quality? ...does it blow me out of my seat? Sometimes 'cute' works...sometimes it is campy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I wouldnt even say Michigan and Ohio St are the prime example of college marching bands. I look at at schools like UMASS and James Madison for that. Agree. And I'm a Michigan grad. Never very impressed by the Michigan Marching Band. I always thought Sparty's band was better. And even though I also think OSU's is better, my genetic makeup will never allow me to say it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Is playing "Eye of the Tiger", the theme from Rocky, cute renditions of "Barber of Seville" and the opening fanfare from "Also Spracht Zarathusa" really the territory for semi-professional musical ensembles such as drum and bugle corps? People eat some of that stuff up and it is probably more marching band like than anything a narration or saxophone could do. Aargh. So, if something's accessible, it's not worthy of being played by a drum corps? I really have a problem with this. IMO it's this kind of elitist thinking that brings us the yawn-fest shows from certain drum corps I won't mention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Wouldn't you agree though that there is a general acceptance of lower quality literature to be played by marching bands than drum corps? Who gets to define the low quality "literature"? How dare we stoop to play for the riff raff when there's so much of the idiom to explore................ You would've hated Mozart in his day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I'm inclined to disagree, as would everyone I've marched with and friends familiar with the activity. A friend of mine (who did not march corps) saw the Classic Countdown thing at the movie theatres a couple years ago, and said he was pretty put off by what corps like 27th were doing, this was based on music alone. I know a layman isn't the best example, but this is still a quasi-intelligent person.I think is directly related to marching band. I'd be pretty embarrassed if I had to play Stars and Stripes on the field. What the crowd "recognizes" and what it finds "entertaining" are entirely subjective. I recognize when bands/corps play Bon Jovi songs, and I sure as #### don't want to hear it. Gawd does this drip with elitism. Are you for real? Perhaps a job in an ivory tower is in your future. You seem like a perfect fit. You should be so lucky to have a small fraction of the talent and ambition of someone like John Phillip Sousa. Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I think one thing that is not being mentioned here is that this is one big grey area in regards to 'level of sophistication' and there are many shades of grey. Just to illustrate some of these 'shades', let's say that the most sophisticated show ever would be a 100. Let's say that Vanguard's show this year is a 95... really sophisticated... maybe Crown's show last year is a 90. I'm just throwing out these numbers based on my relative opinions. Now lets say that playing "Rocky" may bring down the level of sophistication to a 75.. significantly lower... but in my opinion, using the narration that the Cadets have in this years show brings this level down to like 20. So that is my opinion... if you disagree, that is fine... but it is just an opinion. I just want to point out that it is not all black and white. There can be numerous 'levels' of sophistication and I am fine with shows that may 'stoop' a little for comedy, cuteness, or just a certain audience reaction.... but if the shows stoop that far... that is when I have a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skewerz Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I'm more disappointed than anything, especially after all the great shows from last year. Especially from the Bluecoats and Crown, phenomenal shows. well..here it is...the quote that debunks the entire thread... some of the music played in these beloved shows... Bloo-Smooth Criminal...Every Breath You Take Crown-Wild Horses...William Tell Overture so...Bernstein (west side story) and Lecuona (malaguena) are yucky bando campy pieces, yet Michael Jackson (smooth criminal), the Police (every breath you take), the Rolling Stones (wild horses), and Rossini (william tell overture....the theme of the Lone Ranger, for goodness sake) are not yucky bando campy pieces? If you like it, it's not yucky bando campy, and if you don't like it, it is...I see it now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOHNNY_A Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 It's like the difference between a Lamborghini and a Ford Tarus. Drum corps being the Lamborghini and marching bands being a Ford Taurus. EVERYONE wants to drive a Lambo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanksregular Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Well I've said all I have to say about this matter. Call me a troll or elitist if you want, but that's just my opinion. Take it or leave it. *in before someone says "Lawl I'll leave it thankz u very much"* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
709 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I find it funny that someone young enough to march in '07 feels that he is qualified to determine for the rest of us where that line is between low quality and high quality music in terms of arranging for use in drum corps. Get with the times buddy! This is the post-modern era, not the high-modernist era; there are no rules anymore, no boundaries, no classifications, no labels. John Adams, arguably the most important living composer, (and frequent drum corps source material) has released at least one pop album himself, and an entire opera sung in a pop vocal style. The days of saying this is worthy and that is not are done and gone in the professional musical world. So I find it strange that someone who wants the drum corps world to be more like the professional music world (which it isn't a part of and shouldn't be a part of in my opinion) doesn't even know what the professional music world is. Your posts drip of fascism, and as a fan of this activity both how it was and currently is, I am offended by both your opinions and your audacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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