Mouthpiece1234 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I know for many of you, the disappointing placement of the Cadets this season might have you overlook their recording. Or maybe you've had enough of the ending drill ravings (which if you haven't seen, you're 100% missing out) on this forum. I never liked the show, from the announcement of it, to seeing it live multiple times. Didn't care for a bit of it and almost expected a non-stellar Cadet year. I've been listening to Phantom and Crown a lot since the semis recording came out. I downloaded Cadets (still with my prejudgements) and found myself enjoying Jay Bocook, Niel Larivee, Aungst, Moyer, and Mcnutt's writings. Virtually the first half of the show was good and the narration did get a little much at times.... But wow... the last 3 and a half minutes I was completely captivated by Vesuvius. I've been playing it nonstop for the last few days and it still doesn't cease to give me goosebumps. The entire tune is totally BAMF, right off the get go with the percussion but then wait, a flutter tongue attack and swells and then crazy metered grooves, then runs, dark chords, and then more runs, and then a crazy push to the end. I'm blown away at the attention to detail and hidden minutia written in this piece. Every measure is absolutely thick with extra things to hear and stylistic depth. I haven't gotten my DVD yet, but I'm stoked to see these cats play this amazingly put together song on the move as the Cadets fly the way they do. Is anyone impressed by the writing as much as I am? Out of all of 2008's top 6 APDs, Cadets went from 5th most listened to 1st just because of Vesuvius. I wonder why no other arrangers stylize their pieces as much as this or Phantom. Seems to be a thing of the past. I mean yeah Jay Bocook has always been the epitome of notes and great arranging, but he certainly makes the piece his through the transformational process. Blue Devils used to bring things like this to the table like A Night in Tunisia and My Spanish Heart. But you really don't get things like that as much. I wonder why most corps aren't as "juicy" with their pieces as they were in the 90s. Is it watered down because of the visual demand? Are the kids not as talented as they were? Is it just the new style? P.S. If you haven't checked out the youtube video of that last minute and a half of drill. Do it now. (Search cadets 2008 finals) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Your post basically summed up why I get so disappointed with Cadets' use of narration, more so than many other corps that use it. It's because the music is so good. But yeah, I've had Vesuvius (the original piece) in my iTunes for years. Cool piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noname Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 It's really really trying to get onto my ipod, but hasn't succeeded yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared_mello Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 it's never made sense to me why the blue devils horn books have gotten so incredibly UNMUSICAL "as time goes by." as a whole, the music from the 90's, most of the 80's, and 2000 are far more captivating than the music is now, and i don't really understand why. maybe they decided that the current "package" works better from a competitive standpoint? its not like they were ever being hurt in the scores because their melodies were "too memorable" or they "needed more sections of isolated hits and random 16th note runs in the pit." i don't get it. sorry, was that off topic? sad as it is, you basically summed up why i like listening to drum corps from the 90's more than i like drum corps in the 2000's. i actually thought the cadets horn book was a lot less memorable and enjoyable than usual (i don't like ticheli as a composer, though), but then again, i don't have the APD or anything comparable. guess i'll see in a few months. hornline was great as always though, and i'm sure there'll be plenty of nuance for me to appreciate later. i'll be thoroughly captivated by their mellos as always, surely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 (edited) it's never made sense to me why the blue devils horn books have gotten so incredibly UNMUSICAL "as time goes by." as a whole, the music from the 90's, most of the 80's, and 2000 are far more captivating than the music is now, and i don't really understand why. maybe they decided that the current "package" works better from a competitive standpoint? its not like they were ever being hurt in the scores because their melodies were "too memorable" or they "needed more sections of isolated hits and random 16th note runs in the pit." i don't get it. sorry, was that off topic? sad as it is, you basically summed up why i like listening to drum corps from the 90's more than i like drum corps in the 2000's. You and me are pretty much the same person. This very same issue has been bugging me for quite some time and I'm still unable to figure it out. Edited August 21, 2008 by Hrothgar15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaplac Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Vesuvius is a great song originally, there's almost no way that it could be any less awesome arranged. And the Cadets arrangement did nothing but make it a million times better. I love the cadets arrangement of Vesuvius. If only they didn't have that lame story plot on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouthpiece1234 Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 it's never made sense to me why the blue devils horn books have gotten so incredibly UNMUSICAL "as time goes by." as a whole, the music from the 90's, most of the 80's, and 2000 are far more captivating than the music is now, and i don't really understand why. maybe they decided that the current "package" works better from a competitive standpoint? its not like they were ever being hurt in the scores because their melodies were "too memorable" or they "needed more sections of isolated hits and random 16th note runs in the pit." i don't get it. sorry, was that off topic? sad as it is, you basically summed up why i like listening to drum corps from the 90's more than i like drum corps in the 2000's. i actually thought the cadets horn book was a lot less memorable and enjoyable than usual (i don't like ticheli as a composer, though), but then again, i don't have the APD or anything comparable. guess i'll see in a few months. hornline was great as always though, and i'm sure there'll be plenty of nuance for me to appreciate later. i'll be thoroughly captivated by their mellos as always, surely. (line removed per forum guidelines - ee) But no it's good discussion. I feel the 90s was just this era of such style. I felt it was their way or the high way, arrangers were just going to do their own thing. This is when I felt that GE wasn't the crux of civilized Drum Corpdom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duhurhurrr Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Same here. One of my favorite drum corps pieces since I bought an early-season (indoor) recording which was surprisingly clean. Of course, since then, they added all the extra stuff at the very end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndSop4Life Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Good arrangement or bad, it's still Vesuvius. And I'm sorry for all of you who are about to hate me right now but... the world would be a better place if Ticheli had never wrote Vesuvius or Nitro. I'm sorry. I've played both pieces. And I strongly dislike them both. Everything else of his is good. And I really love Elegy, so that part of the show was really cool to me. Except the trumpet solo at the old (apparently, I didn't see the new one) end. It kind of ruined the moment for me. And before anyone finds it their responsibility to tell me I'm stupid and don't know what I'm talking about, I'm going to mention I am entering my 4th year as a music major, and have played a lot of pieces. Some good, some bad. So I do know what I'm talking about. And that is my opinion. Take it as you like. But yea, it was a good arrangement. Wished the focus was more on the hornline. Yay hornline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kekkles Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 BLUH BLUH BLUH I DUNNO WAT IM TALKIN ABOUT LEWL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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