bradrick Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) The ending isn't original. It was borrowed from Garfield 1987, a year the designer marched with the championsip corps. I don't wanna get into a hair splitting contest here, but... From the San Antonio Designer Comentary (available on the Fan Netrwork on DCI's Website): After the show is over Rondinero: "Why the down ending? Why not come up here, build the house and end it there? Key Poulan: "Well, because what we're trying to do (and that's part of what's to come) we want to complete the entire circle of what Martha's life is and we feel it's really important to bring it back to her. And of course the original, well both the ballet and the orchestral suite both come down in terms of that and give us this pretty moment. And of course Santa Clara has been known to do amazing beautiful endings. And I think it's really nice to be able to take the crowd, get 'em off their feet and THEN say - You know what? We can still play beautifully after all that push at the end. We still have the finesse and we still have the control and the ability to make music fom Point A to Point B." If you know your drum corps history, you are aware that SCV was probably not waiting around for anyone else to do a down ending to a show before they decided to do so when it fit their vision of making classical music accessible to the drum corps audience. And if you are familiar with the end of the 13-piece composition that SCV's show is based on (and Coplands expanded Appalachian Spring suite), you know that it has a beautiful down classic Copland ending. I saw Garfield live in 87. It was beautiful. I loved it. I cry watching it on my High Cam tape every time. And I believe both THEY AND SCV were inspired (or borrowed from) the original versions of the ballet and orchestral suite. But to propose that SCV needed to borrow the ending to their show from 87 Garfield is just off base. Garfield's tag (while I love it love it love it) was more drum corps-ized and not really loyal to the original composition's ending in the way Key has done it. And they are both friggin awesome endings. Edited July 27, 2009 by bradrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Blazing Grace Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 The ending isn't original. It was borrowed from Garfield 1987, a year the designer marched with the championsip corps. Cadets have exited (and entered) the field many different years in some form of their traditional corps block. That doesn't mean they "own" mass forms exiting the field. SCV is not exiting the field with a single performer like Cadets (check ending of '87 Cadets, please) In fact, Cadets ended going off in a block. SCV is going off in a mass form-they don't have ANY blocks or boxes in their show. Seems as though the box has become the all-purpose musical form of the activity, used ad-nauseum by all the top groups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megadrive Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Beautiful, beautiful show. Really shows that sometimes less is more. I don't care how tacky it is, if they include a cymbal V at the end of the show by finals, I will f###ing lose it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 PleasepleasePLEASE change the pose of the Toast back to what it was at Stanford....IT MEANS NOTHING IF IT CAN'T BE SEEN!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRacer Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) True, the build in the "Tenderland" company friend was incredibly intense, and didn't let up. But then, after the company front, the volume does come down into a soft ending. That's what I remember hearing on my DCI record (yes, the old LPs) and then seeing on the telecast and now my "Legacy" DVD. So it ended up being a soft ending, but one that was preceded by one of the most breathtaking builds I've ever had the privilege of experiencing in a drum corps show.The only drawback was that I didn't get to experience it live . . . which is part of why I am so looking forward to next Sunday! We actually didn't start the decrescendo until after the diagonal had centered on the 50 and we came forward 16 counts; on the CD the diagonal hits the 50 and we move forward just as the mellos and French horns carry the last of the melody, then the euphoniums (Keith Saunders, John C, et al) chime in and push the stands back a few rows, then the volume drops off. It was exhausting having to "rein it all back in" and not stick out, especially on the last note. We repeated the down/soft ending for Tenderland in '85 until we added The Red Pony later on in the season. I wasn't a huge fan of the loud reentry because (a) everyone else was doing them so we had to do it too, (b) the reentry drill wasn't all that complex (a major arc invert) plus it was like throwing in the faucet after the kitchen sink we'd tossed in earlier with the pants change and baton twirler in opener. Maybe if we had changed the pants AND pulled the tunic front off in the tunnel... Edited July 27, 2009 by TRacer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe712002 Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 PleasepleasePLEASE change the pose of the Toast back to what it was at Stanford....IT MEANS NOTHING IF IT CAN'T BE SEEN!! I agree, it does have much more impact from the side. With Eileen facing the front, it's hard to see and really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feathers Up Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) I agree, it does have much more impact from the side. With Eileen facing the front, it's hard to see and really appreciate it. Add me to the list. The side-Toast had much more impact. Edited July 27, 2009 by Feathers Up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 We actually didn't start the decrescendo until after the diagonal had centered on the 50 and we came forward 16 counts; on the CD the diagonal hits the 50 and we move forward just as the mellos and French horns carry the last of the melody, then the euphoniums (Keith Saunders, John C, et al) chime in and push the stands back a few rows, then the volume drops off. It was exhausting having to "rein it all back in" and not stick out, especially on the last note. We repeated the down/soft ending for Tenderland in '85 until we added The Red Pony later on in the season. I wasn't a huge fan of the loud reentry because (a) everyone else was doing them so we had to do it too, (b) the reentry drill wasn't all that complex (a major arc invert) plus it was like throwing in the faucet after the kitchen sink we'd tossed in earlier with the pants change and baton twirler in opener. Maybe if we had changed the pants AND pulled the tunic front off in the tunnel... I LOVE the 84 push....one of my all-time faves! Vanguardian Sketches was originally going to have that push in there....but Key told me (remember, I was one of the organizers on the BD side) that they decided to drop it....I was MAJORLY bummed....but at least I got to play the Festive Overture fanfare AND Bottle Dance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildabeast Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I understand the musical reason for ending the show this way, however, you are talking about drum corps and our audiences want the big exciting ending. It would be so much more exciting and dramatic to end on the big exciting note. If you have heard them live - you can hear and feel the confusion of the audience. They get so excited and then it just is a very very tepid level of applause and everyone is saying: "That was a weired way to end it - HUH?? Why did they do that?" It's just not the reaction you want to win over the audience and judges. I'm sure anyone who has seen it in person would agree with me. Nope, don't agree at all having seen the show at Family Day & Stanford. In addition to the Copland references of past shows, watch & even listen to SCV '88, '89, '90....gotta' love the '90 ending chord from the tunnel. Cadets didn't win in '87 by blowing the faces off the audience. BD '94 ended when their heartbeat stopped. Cavies '03 ended the way they started. The audiences weren't confused. An ending can be just as exciting & dramatic if you can hear a pin drop. Now, having not seen the show since Stanford (haven't been doing the FN, shame on me), perhaps it's the transition from the push to the closing moments that isn't sitting well. Maybe not very smooth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scvjesse Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) Add me to the list. The side-Toast had much more impact. As much as I'd like to agree with you, I'm going to have to play the devil's advocate here. The side toast was appropriate in the beginning of the season so that it could show the audience exactly what it was without a doubt. Now that we know what it is, and there's no question, the change to the front seems to be obvious... she (and by extension, they) is toasting the audience. I, for one, like the change. It's very befitting of SCV. The Santa Clara Vanguard has ALWAYS been about their connection with the audience, and a toast directly to us is extremely flattering. I applaud it! Edited July 27, 2009 by scvjesse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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