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Dissonant Music in Shows


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I agree with your thoughts on the Cavaliers' book, but IMO, that's more about less than great arranging, not the fact that there is dissonance.

Agreed.....the weird thing, is I do appreciate some of the things they are playing/attempting, and they have more demand and more dynamic contrast then years past.....but I can't grab onto the arranging in many spots, and when they do resolve the dissonance, the arrangement quality just isn't there........

GB

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There are plenty of shows this year with fairly conventional music -

e.g. Scouts, Cadets, Phantom, Blue Knights, Crown.

Is the OP suggesting that EVERYONE must be that way?

I was going to say this same thing, but you said it better and with fewer words! :tongue:

How about we all celebrate a variety of music on the field and try to appreciate it for what it is!

By the way, thanks to Bruckner8 for holding a workshop....excellent!

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There are plenty of shows this year with fairly conventional music -

e.g. Scouts, Cadets, Phantom, Blue Knights, Crown.

Is the OP suggesting that EVERYONE must be that way?

I don't know if that's the suggestion, but that's the feeling I get every time someone brings up the idea that there is "no melody" in drum corps anymore. I, for one, like to see some different approaches, and honestly, would hate going to a show and knowing everything played by every corps. You don't need to recognize a tune to have it stick with you. Music does not need to be recognizable. If it did, how would anything progress?

On that note, the show that, on first viewing, had me humming the most the next day was Cavaliers 2001. The jazzier section of that show stuck in my head more than any other show ever has after just seeing it once...and it was an original composition. No, it wasn't dissonance, but the original post also referred to "recognizable music" in shows. It did, however, follow a short section of pure dissonance.

Edited by BMBob
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I enjoy dissonance when I feel like it's being used effectively.

So if it is indeed a trend a stay, cool!

I do not want dissonance/dark music to go away completely (moderation...remember) I just want a lot less of it.......

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I like to see some Corps break the current mold and provide us with more 1st trumpet soloists. It's not like we havn't had soprano soloists before in this Jr. Corps activity of ours, right ?

We've had snare drum soloists.... dance soloists..... baritone soloists... rifle toss soloists.... pit soloists.... mellophone soloists...euph. soloists... singer soloists..... etc., you name it.

I was glad to see Phantom Regiment ends their show this year with a brief trumpet solo.

For a moment here, I was beginning to believe that a soprano soloist was on the National Endangered Species List within DCI World Class Corps now.

Edited by BRASSO
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I like to see some Corps break the current mold and provide us with more 1st trumpet soloists. It's not like we havn't had soprano soloists before in this Jr. Corps activity of ours, right ?

We've had snare drum soloists.... dance soloists..... baritone soloists... rifle toss soloists.... pit soloists.... mellophone soloists...euph. soloists... singer soloists..... etc., you name it.

I was glad to see Phantom Regiment ends their show this year with a brief trumpet solo.

For a moment here, I was beginning to believe that a soprano soloist was on the National Endangered Species List within DCI World Class Corps now.

They just have to use them well, IMO. I hate seeing corps and bands that use a bright trumpet solo in a darker sounding ballad or something. Now, if the soloist can match the feel of the music, it's all good. Also, what happened to the awesome lead stuff that used to come out of Scouts and Crossmen? I wish some of that would come back (note: haven't seen either of their shows this year). It seems like BD and to be honest, Cavalier and Cadets have done most of that lately.

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I like to see some Corps break the current mold and provide us with more 1st trumpet soloists. It's not like we havn't had soprano soloists before in this Jr. Corps activity of ours, right ?

We've had snare drum soloists.... dance soloists..... baritone soloists... rifle toss soloists.... pit soloists.... mellophone soloists...euph. soloists... singer soloists..... etc., you name it.

I was glad to see Phantom Regiment ends their show this year with a brief trumpet solo.

For a moment here, I was beginning to believe that a soprano soloist was on the National Endangered Species List within DCI World Class Corps now.

Don't forget narrator soloists..... :ph34r:

But seriously, I think BD does have a few exposed solos this year.....several, critically exposed! :tongue::thumbup:

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Thank you for explaining that indeed, it's very hard top lock in a close-interval chord for a lot of reasons, and that those chords deserve a lot of credit when performed well.

And really, dissonance has been around in the activity for many, many years.

To some degree......of coarse. But dark and dissonance has been used A LOT more within the last decade or so....

One of the main reasons (I think) is the influence from wind ensemble music. A lot of wind ensemble music I have heard (Performed in concerts) contain lots of dark and dissonance.

A lot of people like the '91 Devils show... "Bela and Bird in B-Flat" is not exactly cotton candy to the ears...

I think a lot of people enjoy 91 devs for the incredible hornline performance......never really seen folks point out 91 devs as a favorite because of the music they presented.....

Personally, dissonance in and of itself is not a key to making a show accessible or inaccessible. It's only one small factor that can turn on or turn off a listener....

But isn't to much of it.....a turnoff in itself ? I think it was in 2006 that someone posted a review of a drum corps show they attended (about 6 corps) and said....he did not hear any real use of major chords in any of the corps shows for over an hour of listening.........

that is way to much of one thing/effect....I don't care how well it was performed....

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