Cavalier Brass Ideology

[bullethead]

Yes, it's the Eddie Green approach to ensemble sound.

As far as edge or volume is concerned, the idea is that the larger throat, or bore instruments (baritone and tuba) are not designed to be played with edge. When have you ever heard a concert euphonium play to edge before? You may have, but it is not "characteristic" of those instruments to do so. So, they only allow the high brass (with the small bore) to even approach those kinds of sounds.

So it's all based on producing characteristic sounds and matching all aspects of playing, including tone, articulation, etc. both within ones self and between players in the ensemble.

My favorite analogy when comparing this approach to other groups is: "Well, you can tune a chainsaw..."

The reason that you've not not heard a concert euphonium played to a proper "edge" is only because euphoniums are not used in standard orchestral settings......period. At least in your opinion....

[DeafDrummer]

I feel left out for some reason i wonder what that would be

[TerriTroop]

Wow, all the Eddie Green references make me nostalgic for the years I was at the Univ. of Houston. I have known students of his who tell me they think certain drum corps horn lines are out of tune compared to others. Usually my brain tells me just the opposite. Who is wrong and who is right? Well, does it really matter? If Cavies can win with their sound, or BD can win with their sound, or Phantom win with their sound, or Crown come in second (and potentially win in the future) with their sound, I think they're all doing the tuning thing pretty darn well.

Anyway, tuning is not always a perfect science. I honestly prefer the richer sound of Crown to the more controlled sound of Cavies. I don't hear either one as "out of tune." They are just different, and I have my own preference as to which one entertains and engages me more. (I will say that I can definitely enjoy an Eddie Green style ensemble in a concert hall just fine. I just don't particularly want to hear that on a drum corps field.)

Lastly, I have heard plenty of people from drum corps of all levels bagging on other drum corps' horn lines. It doesn't make their home corps bad or negative. It's just human nature to try to sound superior about things we think we know a lot about. And from this comes the joy that is the internet discussion forum.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Fixed.

"Texas High School Bands"? Texas schools teach balanced, ensemble sound. It'd be why we have middle school bands premiering grade 5 literature that would floor many of the "top" high school groups anywhere else in the nation.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Anyone who thinks the Cavaliers play nothing but whole notes and then only tech passages while standing still has never seen a Cavalier horn book.

Why do some people only hear whole notes? Because they're used to many corps whose idea of brass sound is to play anything technical about 2 dynamic levels louder then the balance calls for. "Mellos, you have 4 bars of 16th note runs....everyone else is playing mf, so you need to play those as loud as possible." Is pretty much what it boils down to. It jumps out of the ensemble too much, imo.

I, for one, am glad to see many many horn lines adopting a similar approach to brass playing. here are some who don't, and that's fine for them. But there's a reason so many music educators on the high school and especially university level don't want their kids marching corps. I mean, how many times have you heard a kid say "I can't march because my trumpet prof won't 'let me'."

[roosevelt]

"Texas High School Bands"? Texas schools teach balanced, ensemble sound. It'd be why we have middle school bands premiering grade 5 literature that would floor many of the "top" high school groups anywhere else in the nation.

You seam to be offended that I would make a texas high school band reference when I talk about cavaliers brass approach and then you sing the praises of the texas high school band approach.

[taters]

It's those Kerchner IYM mouthpieces all the sounds gets stuck in them! ;-) Seriously, I have noticed this since 2007 at least maybe earlier...nice shows...zero impact

Edited August 18, 2009 by taters

[whitedawn]

they always sound very safe.

safe is death, in my opinion.

[kickhaltsforlife]

INDEED!!!! They are NOT at all "mutually exclusive". As per the "Eddie Green" reference preceding....yeah, I definitely "get" that. I taught number of programs under his "influence" while I was in TX. The "premise" was essentially that, in order to minimize exposure to error, the ensemble was relegated (as in futball) to "playing it safe" so that no mistakes would be made. Although it has proven to be a generally successful approach with novice players, and quite successful with various middle school groups in a state which is littered with his prodigies, it falls extremely short in terms of producing any actual great performers. There's a reason the the University of Houston "produced" scores of teachers, but seldom produced actual professional performing musicians. I wish I had the time to give the accounts of the groups I taught in TX who were essentially "leveled" and denounced by the "Greenies" and yet were somehow repeatedly selected to perform at MidWest, and had success at BOA etc., go figure. I'll take an ensemble willing to risk it all in order to "make music" and make a mistake or two vs. an ensemble who's only goal is to not make a mistake and only exhibit the "math" ANYTIME. (I've personally witnessed this particular methodology take really exceptional players and make them play "pretty good"). When's the last time any of you heard a professional orchestra not have a single error? Did this really effect your experience? Would you have preferred that they "played it safe"?

Not me.

[Whiskey]

INDEED!!!! They are NOT at all "mutually exclusive". As per the "Eddie Green" reference preceding....yeah, I definitely "get" that. I taught number of programs under his "influence" while I was in TX. The "premise" was essentially that, in order to minimize exposure to error, the ensemble was relegated (as in futball) to "playing it safe" so that no mistakes would be made. Although it has proven to be a generally successful approach with novice players, and quite successful with various middle school groups in a state which is littered with his prodigies, it falls extremely short in terms of producing any actual great performers. There's a reason the the University of Houston "produced" scores of teachers, but seldom produced actual professional performing musicians. I wish I had the time to give the accounts of the groups I taught in TX who were essentially "leveled" and denounced by the "Greenies" and yet were somehow repeatedly selected to perform at MidWest, and had success at BOA etc., go figure. I'll take an ensemble willing to risk it all in order to "make music" and make a mistake or two vs. an ensemble who's only goal is to not make a mistake and only exhibit the "math" ANYTIME. (I've personally witnessed this particular methodology take really exceptional players and make them play "pretty good"). When's the last time any of you heard a professional orchestra not have a single error? Did this really effect your experience? Would you have preferred that they "played it safe"?

Not me.

Interesting insight. Thanks.