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Which World Class Corps has the best music, past 10 years?


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Music only, Which corps does it for you. I love pretty much everyone but there is something about Bluecoats writing that makes me very happy. They just sound different than anyone else. Live, Bluecoats any of the past 6-8 years give me chills!

My favorites:

Bluecoats

Cadets-honerable mention

Crown-2nd runner up

Whats your pick?

PHANTOM !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was not crazy about '09 though.

Edited by Forevergreen
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I was just recently listening to the "original music" shows for the Cavaliers and marveling at how well written they are, especially to an arranger/composer such as myself.

I'd have to say Cavaliers for the first part of the decade,

Then Crown and Phantom.

It might seem weird to some to put Regiment and the Cavaliers on the same list for music since they're so different, but I see what you're saying and certainly agree about the early 2000s.

My only frustration with the Cavaliers is the amount of downtime for the brass in some shows. They generally make up for it with visuals, but when they DO play and showcase their ability, it makes me want more of it and sometimes I just don't feel like they give enough of it.

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I, too, think it's Phantom Regiment by a long shot.

With other corps it's hit or miss. For me the Blue Devils have nailed it some years (2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011) and some were really choppy books.

Boston Crusaders have put out many well-written and appealing musical books. So have Cadets (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011). If you take the narration out of the Cadets 2007 book it's really an excellent show, but I am glad narration is going away. And Bluecoats would definitely be in the mix here, too (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010).

But it's really hard to pick from 2nd place down. I would just put Phantom on top and then say that Bluecoats, Boston, Cadets, Blue Devils, and Carolina Crown (since 2007) have been some of my favorites.

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Phantom

Madison

Boston

Crossmen

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It is easily Regiment and Crown for me...... and I think this has almost nothing to do with their choices for repertoire..... and nearly everything to do with their arranging. J.D. Shaw and Michael Klesh (I hope I spelled those correctly) write masterful horn books year after year and the percussion writing is also top notch (especially Rennick's.... duh!). These are the two corps that I consistently hear "complete" musical phrases from... and the least "hack n' slash" arranging. I would also put Madison these last 2 years with them, but Crown and Regiment have been consistently excellent for at least the past 8-9 years in this regard.

100% this! :thumbup: Also, Phantom and Crown are the two corps that sound the most like drum corps in the top 6. I was just rewatching the 2010 shows on Bluray and some of the groups just don't hardly sound like drum corps--shows I liked and didn't like both. Crown and Phantom really stood out on the first disc as sounding right.

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Yeah i definitely disagree with you on that last part.....but you really lost me in the beginning with the SCV love. C'mon there was 2004...and ?? yeah nope. Key has got to go

Last 10 years, so I considered 2002 to 2011. "Plus" rated music books for SCV in that frame are 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, the horrendously under-rated 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Yes, I've like Vanguard's music books the past two years. With SCV it's a lot about the source music, too. They just choose awesome pieces to put in their shows.

I *DO* agree with you that Key has some big holes in his arranging palette, but then I've heard rumors that Gordon Henderson and others re-write much of the show as the season goes on anyway.

Anyone else think SCV is morphing into kind of a modern version of the late 80s, early 90s Cavaliers? Jeff Fiedler in charge, awesome visual books, killer drum line, and a brass section that most years can barely tread water.

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Phantom. That's it, that's all.

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1. SCV

2. Cadets

3. Madison

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