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dunno what Statesmen or Renegades shows you've been watching, but they sounded phenomnenal

I love the sound, don't get me wrong, but it's not on the same level as, say, Reading from an ensemble standpoint.

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Let's look at a show that many folks totally worship for power and volume. Spirit of Atlanta 1980. They had ~54 horns.

Can you honestly tell me that 54 members can play louder on a dB level than an 80 member brass line now?

Take a look at corps in the 90's which many consider to be the prime of DCI - 64 horns!

If you can explain the physics of how 54/64 horns are playing LOUDER (dB) than 80(!!!) horns today go ahead.

I would make a suggestion for some of you to turn up your hearing aides. >.<

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A couple of operatives in action here:

the "rose-colored headphone" effect, in which favorite/legendary groups from back in the day are attributed superhuman powers by their partisans, often in increasing parallel proportion to the elapsed time since said favorite/legend walked the fields. Spirit's 1980 horn line seems to be getting louder with each passing year.

the coarser = louder principle, in which the more rough-hewn sound of the G bugle favored by some is interpreted as being louder by nature than the cleaner, more refined (for want of better terminology - no disrespect to the legends of the past intended) sonority of the modern era. Closely related to the coarser = better axiom, whereby everything from the pre-multikey era is assumed to be intrinsically superior (and by definition, louder at the top end of the dynamic scale) to current performance efforts.

Don't get me wrong. I love and enjoy that old school, G bugle, high decibel stuff as much as the next old geezer, and I'm no great fan of electronic bottom-end enhancement or other tricks of that sort. But I'm certainly willing to admit there have been some pretty potent horn lines out there over the past 10 years or so, more than capable of standing toe to toe with face-rippers from any era.

Peace,

Fred O.

I doubt there are even five lead trumpet players in 2011 in all of DCI who could play Spirit of Atlanta's 1980 lead sop book[maybe 3 who could play SOA's 79 lead sop book]. Spirit 80 was louder.

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the coarser = louder principle, in which the more rough-hewn sound of the G bugle favored by some is interpreted as being louder by nature than the cleaner, more refined (for want of better terminology - no disrespect to the legends of the past intended) sonority of the modern era. Closely related to the coarser = better axiom, whereby everything from the pre-multikey era is assumed to be intrinsically superior (and by definition, louder at the top end of the dynamic scale) to current performance efforts.

Robert Shaw recognized this. Shortly after he became Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony (which was, at the time, a rather rough ensemble, and -- more importantly -- a rather small ensemble), he began telling the violins: "Play slightly out of tune, it makes it sound like there are more of you."

Just FWIW.

-Ben

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Spirit of Atlanta had 66 horns in 1980. I just confirmed that with a former SOA brass caption head. They had a full hornline all summer, and made one substitution during the summer.

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I doubt there are even five lead trumpet player in 2011 in all of DCI who could play Spirit of Atlanta's 1980 lead sop book[maybe 3 who could play SOA's 79 lead sop book]. Spirit 80 was louder.

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I doubt there are even five lead trumpet player in 2011 in all of DCI who could play Spirit of Atlanta's 1980 lead sop book[maybe 3 who could play SOA's 79 lead sop book]. Spirit 80 was louder.

Yes, because all of those trumpet performance majors in DCI today wouldn't be able to hold up to those kids... :huh::rolleyes:

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Robert Shaw recognized this. Shortly after he became Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony (which was, at the time, a rather rough ensemble, and -- more importantly -- a rather small ensemble), he began telling the violins: "Play slightly out of tune, it makes it sound like there are more of you."

Just FWIW.

-Ben

Though I can't find the quote, I'll take your word for it. But likewise, FWIW(and no disrespect to Maestro Shaw): no thanks, none of that for me.

Fred O.

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