DCI arrangments you like better than the original

[Dir_en_X]

Phantom 93 - Fire of Eternal Glory

Bluecoats 08 - The Boxer

[N.E. Brigand]

Phantom 93 -- "Fire of Eternal Glory"

Bluecoats 08 -- "The Boxer"

Were you familiar with "The Boxer" before Bluecoats played it? I really enjoyed their performance of the song, and especially the big brass feature. But having enjoyed Simon & Garfunkle since childhood (well enough to have long since memorized the lyrics for that song and many others), I found it hard to think of the Bluecoats' version as an improvement. But if I had encountered it that way first, I might view it differently.

So long, Frank Lloyd Wright.

[Dir_en_X]

Were you familiar with "The Boxer" before Bluecoats played it? I really enjoyed their performance of the song, and especially the big brass feature. But having enjoyed Simon & Garfunkle since childhood (well enough to have long since memorized the lyrics for that song and many others), I found it hard to think of the Bluecoats' version as an improvement. But if I had encountered it that way first, I might view it differently.

So long, Frank Lloyd Wright.

I wasn't familiar with the original but even after hearing it, I prefer the Bluecoats version if for only the energy in the brass feature. Nothing against the original, I like it too.

[WWonka]

Skyriders - '88 "A few of my favorite things." (Jazzy version)

[warsawstory]

There is nothing from the orchestral medium that is improved when arranged for drum corps.

But...

If you forget the source material and just accept the moment, there have been some great arrangements.

I thought Phantom Regiment's "re"-arranging of of Into the Light was brilliant.

[DCISuperfan]

I gotta say Cavaliers did one FANTASTIC job with the bond music in 2004. I thought it was better than the original.

[kdaddy]

Crossmen 1990 -- "Now or Never". I got the New York Voices recording last year because I'd long liked the Crossmen version (which I'd also heard a high school jazz choir perform in the interim) and was underwhelmed.

This was going to be my response.

I'll add Remembrance from Madison 90 and 98 to the list, though I do like the original quite a bit. Much of the jazzophonic stuff from the late 80s and early 90s sounds better with a drum corps treatment, methinks.

[N.E. Brigand]

There is nothing from the orchestral medium that is improved when arranged for drum corps.

I agree, though I would

1) change "is improved" to "has been improved" (based on my relatively limited listening experience); and

2) expand that claim to include most music more than a few decades old; and

3) propose that it is possible for a drum corps arrangement to improve on a bad or mediocre classical original.

There have always been many poor compositions -- we've just forgotten most of the older ones. Any work lasting enough to be selected by a drum corps arranger after a few decades is almost certainly going to be a very strong piece in the first place. Otherwise they wouldn't bother.

But if you forget the source material and just accept the moment, there have been some great arrangements.

Agreed again. For instance, Phantom Regiment's treatment of the New World Symphony is an absolute favorite of mine, simply fantastic; it's just not an improvement on the original masterpiece.

[DreaminMello]

"Danny Boy" 2-7

The crowd so got into it,and 27th played the snot out of it!

[sarnia sam]

stone ground seven - with brass. Fred Sanford, and who ever did the brass charts in 1980, rescued this piece from certain obscurity.

Regards,

John

Edited November 19, 2010 by sarnia sam