theCHEZman Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Crown has an amazing brass line and should be winning. They are also getting a big pop in Music GE from that line. I would have Cadets brass in a close second. They have a difficult book and play extremely well also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njthundrrd Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I'd understand a large spread in the performance number, but I think the 99 content score is very questionable. Crown's book just doesn't have the same complexity or depth that BD or even Cadets do, IMO Really? Seriously? In the words of a very famous brass instructor that has two sons that play in major SO's... "You couldn't hear a door slam in a cave" if you can't hear the difference that Crown has over BD. It should be .7 every night. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phan89 Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I honestly don't think atonal music is that hard to play. And I much prefer their earlier atonal work, even from 2011, which was recent. Their 2011 show was great! Do you even know what atonal music is? BD is not playing a single atonal piece of music this year, and they also didn't play any in their 2011 production. THE RITE OF SPRING IS NOT AN ATONAL PIECE OF MUSIC. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njthundrrd Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Have you actually sat there and listened to the runs that are constantly coming throughout Crown's show ..... Best part is that Crown is moving when they play it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njthundrrd Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 They have a very virtuosic book and they perform with mastery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brichtimp Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 (edited) Crown is performing music that is complex rhythmically while BD plays music that is complex in chord. Both horn lines are great but the quality of sound that crown is producing is the best sound I've heard in drum corps. I'm not saying BD doesn't have technical demand but when I hear crown, I can see the rhythms very clearly in my mind. They are executing triple tongue techniques as well as playing sixteenth note runs with pristine accuracy. BD has some great double tongue moments in there show that I noticed the trumpets doing. I'm sure more instruments are double tonguing throughout but it's very difficult to identify those moments. Crown is playing their book so well that I could transcribe every note. They have a very lean sound and I appreciate that because if they make a mistake, it is easily heard. If blue devils makes a brass mistake such as a crack or over balanced stick out, it's very hard to percieve due to the layers upon layers. BD has a very cool show in many ways. I appreciate dissonance. I'm concerned that they lack variety in chord types. One could say the same about crown. I noticed a statement from someone who point out that crown plays a lot of Bb major. They probably do but each musical idea is unique. I'm able to identify each moment of the show. Crown is also taking major risks by playing music that is so rhythmically complicated. It's not easy to maintain relaxation in order to play the music they are playing sitting down let alone moving at high velocity. Both corps are amazing but crown is connecting with the audience not just bedause they are crown but because they are playing music that is both extremely demanding and captivating. They have a very virtuosic book and they perform with mastery. I would say that BD is playing about every chord type there is, and in some places moving through multiple metric modulations in a few seconds...their complexity and intonation is quite excellent. And, that is taking nothing away from Crown....their choice to bring Paul Lovatt-Cooper's British brass band compositions to the DCI arena is more than cool! These shows can be appreciated on multiple levels, and it's not necessary to bring crowd response into the equation to compare excellence. The Cadets' brass book is magnificent, and still doesn't 'connect' like Crown's....so be it. Edited August 10, 2013 by brichtimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seen-it-all Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I would say that BD is playing about every chord type there is, and in some places moving through multiple metric modulations in a few seconds...their complexity and intonation is quite excellent. And, that is taking nothing away from Crown....their choice to bring Paul Lovatt-Cooper's British brass band compositions to the DCI arena is more than cool! These shows can be appreciated on multiple levels, and it's not necessary to bring crowd response into the equation to compare excellence. The Cadets' brass book is magnificent, and still doesn't 'connect' like Crown's....so be it. I still think the Cadets have the best overall dynamic range of anyone out there. Crown, as great as they are, seem to sit in the triple forte volume range a LOT. Not to say that they can't play at all dynamic ranges very well because they CAN (and do, at times), but I feel Cadets' book brings out that range far better and that's something I appreciate very much as a listener. And harmonically, what BD is doing simply astounds me. It may not have the technical runs that Crown has, but that's some very difficult stuff for a full brass ensemble to achieve IMO. Three VERY VERY good brass lines. We are fortunate to witness this, all playing very difficult and unique stuff unto themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Do you even know what atonal music is? BD is not playing a single atonal piece of music this year, and they also didn't play any in their 2011 production. THE RITE OF SPRING IS NOT AN ATONAL PIECE OF MUSIC. Thank you for saying this. I've been telling this to people for years. Non-functional harmony does not equal atonality. I don't think either of the brass books are more difficult than the other. In fact, I really don't think any piece of music is more difficult than any other piece if you consider all aspects. Yes, some are more technically difficult.... but it takes just as much skill to pull off a lyrical aria as a complex piece with 1000 notes. I know from my own practice as a musician I have often spent more time trying to get the perfect attack on one single note than anything else. Having said that, I believe what Crown's brass is achieving this year is far more impressive than any other corps. There are so many exposed parts where mistakes could easily be made... and you rarely hear one at all. They are also the only brass section I heard live on Thursday(I was at the show)that had complete dynamic control. They sounded just as good at p, mf,f, and fff with perfect transitions between them. That is something rarely talked about that separates the "men from the boys." By far the best hornline I have ever heard live. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I'd understand a large spread in the performance number, but I think the 99 content score is very questionable. Crown's book just doesn't have the same complexity or depth that BD or even Cadets do, IMO I think each corps is achieving in different areas. They're not all doing the same kind of thing. As far as the Brass scores go, Devils have more complex harmonies and varied styles to deal with; Cadets play almost two minutes more material, and they play louder, and they're playing multiple stuff against each other at differing tempos; Crown has the most difficult articulation and runs, and the most exposure of each section. So I'd say the content scores should be close, for sure, and the judges have consistently given Crown a very high score there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Rodriguez Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 BD is an amazing corps and I have no negative comments about them. They are amazing as well as there show. They may play many different types of chords but they are mostly dissonant. It's difficult to identify the variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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