N.E. Brigand Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 West Coast fans heard [biebl's "Ave Maria"] it from 2002 if not earlier: it's Pacific Crest's corps song and on field warmup. First time I heard it from 2002. Maybe because Chanticleer, probably the best-known vocal performers of the piece, are from San Francisco? I'm guessing their work was first popular in California. I first heard their recording of "Ave Maria", apparently made in 1990, on a Christmas Eve program on the Cleveland classical station, circa 1999, in which each DJ got to choose a favorite holiday piece. This was the choice of one who was not long moved here from the west coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I think this is generally true, and results in much of the "in my day" blather that we see on here. That being said, I also had perfect seats for my first viewing of Star '90, though it was not my first show - I had been to several shows over the previous couple of years. Even so, the opening/first movement of Belshazzar still remains my standard as the best thing I have ever seen. It's just so good that nothing has knocked it off the pedestal for me all this time later. I was reminded of this by the little snippet the alumni corps did.Phantom 2003 and the Canon was close, but not quite there. No matter how technically excellent the "sound bite" style of show programming may be, with the constant cutting of melodies and moments, it simply does not generate the level of effect and response that a sustained build or a musical moment that is allowed to resonate will. This is not limited to drum corps. Beyonce's Single Ladies video became a worldwide sensation because it avoided the typical video construction of ADD clips changing every few seconds and instead went with one idea, filmed to appear as a single, continuous take. It was hugely effective and people flipped out over it. If you carefully bring people on a journey with you, they will respond to what you're doing. If you throw distractions at them every step of the way, they'll end up shutting down before the end and forget everything they've just seen. and so will the judges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 No matter how technically excellent the "sound bite" style of show programming may be, with the constant cutting of melodies and moments, it simply does not generate the level of effect and response that a sustained build or a musical moment that is allowed to resonate will. This is not limited to drum corps. Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video became a worldwide sensation because it avoided the typical video construction of ADD clips changing every few seconds and instead went with one idea, filmed to appear as a single, continuous take. It was hugely effective and people flipped out over it. Here I was all set to point out the the technique was used a year earlier by Feist for the charming "1 2 3 4", but I see wikipedia has an entire entry called Music video (one shot) chronicling the history of the form. Hmm... I had forgotten that "A-Punk" was a one-shot. I wonder if any Vampire Weekend could be arranged for drum corps -- "M79", maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumno5 Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 If a corps played the type of music with the same power and complexity that Star did, they would. No disrespect (to you, the o.p., his brother's high school band or the Star Alumni group) - but sorry, I'm not buying it. Were BD 2010 (or any of a half dozen other of this year's finalists) not powerful and complex enough for you? And I thought the audience responded in kind, at least the events I attended. Those rose-colored headphones make everything sound better. Peace, Fred O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumno5 Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 No matter how technically excellent the "sound bite" style of show programming may be, with the constant cutting of melodies and moments, it simply does not generate the level of effect and response that a sustained build or a musical moment that is allowed to resonate will. And yet corps like Muchachos '75, Blue Devils '76, Bridgemen and Spirit '80 - shows that were basically variety show pastiches - are fondly remembered and held in high regard within our community. Not bashing your theory, which I think is valid and well-stated. But I guess there are a lot of different ways to reach an audience. Fred O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Were BD 2010 (or any of a half dozen other of this year's finalists) not powerful and complex enough for you? BD was not, no. A few finalist corps were, though, namely Carolina Crown, Cadets, and Phantom Regiment, entirely contingent on their musical arrangements and performances. Those rose-colored headphones make everything sound better. I was there. They were the corps that had the greatest emotional effect on me that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACMellos2010 Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Hrothgar15- If that is you with the arrow pointed to you let me say that seeing your reaction the first time I watched the video of our performance made it all worth it to me!!! Thank you and for all the fans that gave us the welcome we received coming onto the field and then the reaction throughout our performance. It still makes the hair on my arms stand up! Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I think there's room for all three types of shows. Visual shows like the Cavies 2006 , concept shows like Crown 2008 , music-based shows like 2010 SCV and Madison , and everything in between. Sometimes designers make poor choices, but I don't think the strategy of starting with a concept is necessarily a wrong choice. I think the key point that's been hit on here is that the first time you fall in love with something like drum corps is always going to be the ideal in your mind, and the more you participate the more your mind is filled with the very best examples of the activity, and each year it's going to seem like fewer and fewer corps measure up to your internal top 10, because it's already full of the best shows across decades. Even if today's shows are just as good, you will feel less of an impact and start looking for reasons why, when it's really about emotional impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedEye Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 And yet corps like Muchachos '75, Blue Devils '76, Bridgemen and Spirit '80 - shows that were basically variety show pastiches - are fondly remembered and held in high regard within our community. Not bashing your theory, which I think is valid and well-stated. But I guess there are a lot of different ways to reach an audience. Fred O. I think there is a difference between a medley of songs, or even an overture that has snippets of various tunes from a musical and a lot of what is happening now. With a medley, you get enough of each song to appreciate it, and they aren't being played on top of each other. It's different from the sound bite, quick cuts. It does seem like a lot of this has come from a generation of instructors and designers having been molded by WGI. I remember teaching winter guard in the early 90s and being absolutely forced by the judges to add layer upon layer of work. If you tried to have a few spots where there was one main thing going on, with the rest subdued in the background they would crucify you. While I understand how this adds demand and complexity to score points, at some point it seems to become white noise, both visually and musically. You can only absorb so much and actually be moved by it. You end up with a presentation of stunning technical achievement, but with an audience who goes home with a headache. Since tickets ARE still being sold to a supposed entertainment experience, would a bit more balance in all this be such a ridiculous idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumno5 Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Here's the best way to put it: pick music that the audience may or may not be familiar with, but as a requisite, could be familiar with. ... What the heck does this mean? May as well say "pick music that I like and I'll tell everyone that it's better than something that I don't like." peace, Fred O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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