POSITIVenrgy Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 yeah, the SCV drill this year is nuts. not many could take such extended musical phrases and create 20 sets that just morph with every little nuance. i think it's astounding. So well said! Lance, you are my hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanKShields Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 I admire the fact that SCV carrys on the tradition of taking on challenging music and visual concepts. If you want mainstream then that's what you'll vote for. Seems like people have jumped on the "I don't get it bandwagon" without attempting to understanding SCV's adaptation of Bartok's music and the show mainly because their notions are set.If you have a contemporary classical background you'll probably like SCV if you have a jazz-pop background thing going for you then you'll like everyone else. Right or wrong? Heck!, I don't know....eye of the beholder!!Good luck to all the corps in Murfreesboro, TN tonight and at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta .....but a big thumbs up to my beloved SCV!! Go Baby!! Ben Nice show of even-handedness! BUT -- Why not admit it -- people's reactions to SCV's "Bartok" show reflect not so much differences in types of musical background, as differences in wakefulness and engagement. There are active listeners with a rich set of life reactions to music (and visual art), and then people who just view themselves as passive "consumers", easily bored, even irritated, by anything that doesn't shout to get their attention. It's clear which of these two groups are getting the full available buzz from this smart, sublimely-conceived, and very beautiful, SCV show. Side note: Isn't it kind of ironic how many people suddenly get very engaged and alert when defending apathy and passivity? (Where was this all this keen sensitivity when it counted, when the artists were appealing directly to it?! Go figure!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanKShields Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 What does that mean? I like the darkness of the show and they perform it reasonably well, but I am not sure i know what negative space means. "Negative space", in visual design, is empty space that's taken on visual impact of its own, by virtue of what's around it. It can give the impression of being a solid object itself, complete with seeming physical "weight" and dimensions, or seem to suck you in like a vacuum, or be pregnant with meaning, or whatever. The beauty of it is that negative space takes very little in the way of resources, and can make a very big impression. In SCV's show, like the original writer here, I also noticed how well the designer used this powerful technique, often spreading the corps wide around empty spaces, moving around those spaces as though they were solid objects of great size, sometimes "puncturing" them with other well-placed drill moves, etc. At least, it made the corps seem bigger than it is. At best, negative space may be the closest response in visual art to the big subliminal impressions in music -- the inexplicable stuff that makes music special, and goes straight to the imagination. SCV knew exactly what they were doing when they used this approach with one of the most sublime works of the 20th Century. It works wonderfully. (I can't believe I'm talking about what's basically a marching band this way... lol...) Bravo SCV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanKShields Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Ditto... You're "ditto-ing" a comment that had no meaning at all in the first place? You're going to create an infinite loop of emptiness here...lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanKShields Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Tend to agree, except for the "20 year olds" part. There's a lot of us old guys for whom Bartok was an acquired taste. But you're right - if you're looking for a show that'll resonate with most fans, judges, etc., you'll do better looking elsewhere. I think we're getting a little too weird about the judges here, plenty of whom have impressive musical resumes, and would be perfectly familiar with Bartok's "Concerto". In fact, I recall that at least one of the DCI judges is a violinist from the San Francisco Symphony. Ya seriously think she's all flummoxed by "Concerto for Orchestra"? Riiiiiiiight.... lol (It's NOT that "out there" a piece, guys. A lot of us musicians have loved it for a long time, and may even have played it in good youth orchestras.) I'm willing to accept that whatever scores SCV gets are probably more a matter of how well they've put the details together and cleaned it, compared to other corps, than any lack of understanding for the piece itself. If we were judges, it's exactly the approach I'm sure we'd feel compelled to take, yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POSITIVenrgy Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Nice show of even-handedness! BUT -- Why not admit it -- people's reactions to SCV's "Bartok" show reflect not so much differences in types of musical background, as differences in wakefulness and engagement. There are active listeners with a rich set of life reactions to music (and visual art), and then people who just view themselves as passive "consumers", easily bored, even irritated, by anything that doesn't shout to get their attention. It's clear which of these two groups are getting the full available buzz from this smart, sublimely-conceived, and very beautiful, SCV show. Side note: Isn't it kind of ironic how many people suddenly get very engaged and alert when defending apathy and passivity? (Where was this all this keen sensitivity when it counted, when the artists were appealing directly to it?! Go figure!) Thank you for this spot-on, eloquent post. These passive "consumers" who have, (to quote Ben Martinez), "jumped on the "I don't get it bandwagon", without attempting to understand SCV's adaptation of Bartok's music", just make me want to But, I'm trying to let it go. I will simply continue to enjoy this work-of-art, slice-of-heaven show!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skewerz Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 I like SCV this year better than I like BD! They both rank slightly below going to the dentist... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 For pete's sake, I just don't find the music entertaining... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardman Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Nice show of even-handedness! BUT -- Why not admit it -- people's reactions to SCV's "Bartok" show reflect not so much differences in types of musical background, as differences in wakefulness and engagement. There are active listeners with a rich set of life reactions to music (and visual art), and then people who just view themselves as passive "consumers", easily bored, even irritated, by anything that doesn't shout to get their attention. It's clear which of these two groups are getting the full available buzz from this smart, sublimely-conceived, and very beautiful, SCV show. Side note: Isn't it kind of ironic how many people suddenly get very engaged and alert when defending apathy and passivity? (Where was this all this keen sensitivity when it counted, when the artists were appealing directly to it?! Go figure!) I like their show very much this year and am in the "yes" group in this poll, but I don't want you to count me in with "your" group of "non-consumers" or whatever you want to call it. Do you realize how pompous your post sounds? Give me a freaking break. I just like the show. It's not because I'm smarter than anyone else or more engaged or anything intellectual. I just like it. Sheesh. And please don't call it "art" either. It is not art, it is just a bunch of kids marching around on a football field playing music. Again, I like the show very much but those who don't have their own opinion and that's fine. I don't understand how they could not like this show either, but oh well. It's not like it's me out there marching this show. I think everyone needs to lighten up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 (edited) Nice show of even-handedness! BUT -- Why not admit it -- people's reactions to SCV's "Bartok" show reflect not so much differences in types of musical background, as differences in wakefulness and engagement. There are active listeners with a rich set of life reactions to music (and visual art), and then people who just view themselves as passive "consumers", easily bored, even irritated, by anything that doesn't shout to get their attention. It's clear which of these two groups are getting the full available buzz from this smart, sublimely-conceived, and very beautiful, SCV show. Side note: Isn't it kind of ironic how many people suddenly get very engaged and alert when defending apathy and passivity? (Where was this all this keen sensitivity when it counted, when the artists were appealing directly to it?! Go figure!) I'm fully awake this morning. I had a good night of restful sleep. I've had a chance to contemplate my 4th viewing of 2010 SCV from last night. I can say without reservation that while I respect the kids who have worked so hard this year, their show is : Boring. .... they also were the recipients of some inexplicable love from the judges last night. The opening solo was fracked... twice. The drill is easy. The show uninspiring. That said, I have no doubt that SCV wil rethink this boring show model in the off season and next year will produce a show that engages " passive consumers " as well as " active consumers ", both of whom spend money to watch their show production. Edited August 1, 2010 by BRASSO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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