Hrothgar15 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 IMO, it is. Sometimes, less really is more. I have long believed that in our desire for whip-speed drill and ever-increasingly hyped visual effects, we've sacrificed much of the musical emotion and visceral experience that comes from a beautiful show, well done . . . which was what Santa Clara was inherently about for so many years. IMO, this is what Santa Clara is aiming for. And it really isn't anything new, by the way, but more of a return to a style they were long known for. I, for one, applaud them for doing it, and am really looking forward to experiencing this show in Buffalo! "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I'll respectfully disagree here. Of all the attempts to put this work on the field, I like SCV 09 the best since Garfield's. Certainly the gutsy design decision here was to take Copland's work and merely adapt/interpret it on the field, rather than write an "original composition inspired by..." that borrows a couple of melodies from the original, but otherwise completely ignores its musical structure and intent. I give kudos to Fiedler and Co. for taking this approach - they have by far the most elegant show on the field this summer, and what I'm sure will be a huge audience favorite in Indy.If your point is that this kind of musical design will not be rewarded competitively in DCI today, you're almost certainly correct. So much the worse for DCI, I'd think. :doh: As someone who studied Copland very seriously for my graduate work - including some original research at the Library of Congress for my masters thesis - I wholeheartedly agree. I'm not trying to beat my own drum. I don't think you need to have undertaken any in-depth research to understand and appreciate SCV's show. It will appeal to some and not to others, just like every other show out there. But I definitely do appreciate the treatment SCV has given App Spring, both musically and visually. The ONLY drawback for me is the synth use. Their show would be just as effective without the hyper-bass and without the synth sustains. In fact, I would argue that the show would be even MORE effective without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
do.it.up. Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 (edited) I understand why some people are disappointed with "Ballet for Martha." Although I love the show, I completely agree with some of their viewpoints. The past few years, Santa Clara Vanguard established an identity that fans expect them to bring every year. This year, it seems like they've sacrificed much of that at the hands of trying to 'stay true' to the original composition. As much as it's working for them, fans are going to be upset and somewhat nostalgic. Personally, I feel that everything before the company front is scrambled (music-wise) and needs serious refinement and organization. I believe you can make those adjustments while staying true to the piece. Edited July 21, 2009 by do.it.up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Wouldn't adding things to a sterile show make it better, or at least less sterile? It isn't as impressive to me to see a woodwind section do a big 16th note run... not as much as a mellophone section, or entire hornline. I think you lose some of the wow factor when you add woodwinds. You see woodwinds in HS groups doing these kinds of things all the time, but almost never a high school brassline. Sterile show for me: Cavies - haven't seen live (one of my favorite corps though) Glassmen - I haven't gotten in to it yet... by maybe soon! That's it for now. I have only seen a handful of shows live, and most on FN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DITD Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I understand why some people are disappointed with "Ballet for Martha." Although I love the show, I completely agree with some of their viewpoints. The past few years, Santa Clara Vanguard established an identity that fans expect them to bring every year. This year, it seems like they've sacrificed much of that at the hands of trying to 'stay true' to the original composition. As much as it's working for them, fans are going to be upset and somewhat nostalgic. Personally, I feel that everything before the company front is scrambled (music-wise) and needs serious refinement and organization. I believe you can make those adjustments while staying true to the piece. There is a dichotomy with this one- people who like the classic yet modest approach, and those that preferred their more aggressive, symphonic show of recent years. I [truly] enjoy this show for what it is, despite probably being out of championship contention and not quite measuring up to the boys from Garfield a few decades earlier. . .but that's for another thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relmquist Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 watch for the GLASSMENto max out and PEAK EARLY . like last season JULY ---31----87.4----WESTCHESTER August- 9 ----87.2----DCI FINALS WHO ELSE ???? CROWN TROOPERS COLTS BLUE STARS BLUE KNIGHTS BD-or else they are going to get 105.85 MOVERS Cadets CROSSMEN MADISON PHANTOM VANGUARD I agree with all of your movers except the Crossmen. Their show is one of the "sterile" shows that this post addressed. I am very dissappointed in the music. Visually they are OK, but the music......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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