Ensemble - Whole greater than the parts?

[glory]

Somebody who knows help me out.

I saw results from a recent show where a corps placed higher in ensemble music than it did in either brass or drums. That strikes as impossible to achieve. How can the ensemble rate higher than do the parts that comprise it? Then again, maybe I don't understand what "ensemble" in the music category is judging. Can you explain?

HH

[jplattSCV]

Somebody who knows help me out.

I saw results from a recent show where a corps placed higher in ensemble music than it did in either brass or drums. That strikes as impossible to achieve. How can the ensemble rate higher than do the parts that comprise it? Then again, maybe I don't understand what "ensemble" in the music category is judging. Can you explain?

HH

If the horns and drums are both a hot mess then their respective scores will suffer. But, if they are the exact same hot mess, I guess that implies ensemble achievement. ;)

[littlebirdy]

It's easier for a corps to have a low ensemble score with high brass and drums. That would come from the individuals on the field playing in all te same manner, but the horns and drums books not lining up, or not agreeing on the inherent musical phrases.

If a group that does not sound as good person to person, but succeeds in lining all the parts up to the box, were to compete against the first group, the second group would likely win music ensemble but lose brass or drums.

[Tez]

It's very simple....... Brass and Percussion are judged from the field..... Music Ensemble is judged from the Box. Nearly all drum corps fans should know how different corps sound even from low vs. high in the stands..... don't you think that difference is amplified even more with press box vs. field? This is one of the main reasons why I think it is pretty ridiculous for at least brass to be judged from the field. I can see the merit of judging drums on the field because you can't observe certain things from far away, but at least they're (the drum line) usually very close together. Listening to individual brass players playing in ensemble with 70 other brass players spread out over 50-60 yards is a completely unrealistic listening experience.

[skywhopper]

It's very simple....... Brass and Percussion are judged from the field..... Music Ensemble is judged from the Box.

This is it, completely. The judges on the field cannot hear all the parts at once and are in no position to judge that aspect of the musical performance. They are judging parts, arrangement, technique, etc at an individual performer level.

[BRASSO]

This is it, completely. The judges on the field cannot hear all the parts at once and are in no position to judge that aspect of the musical performance. They are judging parts, arrangement, technique, etc at an individual performer level.

Exactly. One can have a good executing brass and percussion section, but if the blend does not work so well from the box up top in the view of the judge, the Music Ensemble caption score will reflect this. Sometimes one section will overpower another section, or sometimes is too muted or understated compared to the other section in the eyes and ears of the judge from up top. I've heard percussion sections this year that are much too loud in my opinion when the brass line is simultaneously playing. Oftentimes too, it's not the volume at all, but how the 2 sections sound together when playing, ie do the percussion parts " fit " the music played well... or not.

Edited August 2, 2011 by BRASSO

[glory]

Seriously? It's that simple? And stupid?

HH