Kamarag Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 If I'm going to watch: Spartacus. If I'm going to just listen: Defiant Heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 (edited) Its a tough call for me, but I gave the edge to '96 Phantom's "The Defiant Heart ", as I had already had seen Phantom Regiment's previous theme of "Spartacus " from them twice before ( 1981, and again in 1982 ) and this was Phantom Regiment's 3rd foray into this classical theme for them with me. I definately enjoyed their 2008 3rd version of " Spartacus " a lot, but Phantom's '96 show " The Defiant Heart " was simply a newer and fresher theme from them, for me. Edited August 23, 2013 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 1996 without a doubt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phan Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Two of my favorite shows of all time, but A Defiant Heart never fails to raise my heart beat and give me chills. The concert arcs with the resolving chord has to be one of the most powerful moments in drum corps history. Incredible. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimefan Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Caveat: Dmitri Shostakovich is my favorite composer. I have over 50 CDs of JUST Shostakovich music in my collection (maybe closer to 100). I have at least two different recordings of all of his symphonies and much of his recorded ballet and film score music. I have books about him, have studied him, and he is the primary influence on my composing style. This is not to imply that I'm more right or wrong than anyone else, just to warn you that I have OPINIONS in all caps when it comes to DSCH. That said... Defiant Heart has the best opener in DCI history: Jim Wren's masterwork arrangement of the Introduction to Fourth Ballet Suite (originally from Shostakovich's "Limpid Stream" if I'm remembering correctly). After that, though, the show is good-but-not-great for me. The youthful exuberance of Symphony No. 1 seems an odd mesh to the darkness of the opener and the closer. It seems too "playful" to match the rebellious attitude of the rest of the show. I think Symphony No. 11, Mvt. II and/or Symphony No. 15, Mvt. II would have been a better fit here. And, while the start of the Symphony No. 5 section is FANTASTIC, I can't get over how "untrue" to the original Phantom's finale is. The Finale to #5 is NOT supposed to be this driving blaze of glory. It's a sarcastic and bitter finale, a "phony" triumph, with ostinato repeated to the point of absurdity and modulation away from the major-key "triumph" (from DM to Gm and Bbm). It works as drum corps, but I'm too attached to the original work to fully appreciate the drum corps version, I guess. Spartacus just has great programming and execution. I felt the visual design was better, and the music was just as solid. Shaw's and the Rennicks' arrangements are gold. To me, this show is a 20.0 in Musical GE and about a 19.9 in Visual GE. Even after nearly 20 years of following drum corps, this became my new #1 show of all time. Best explanation as to why on anything I have ever read. That said: For the original question, why not 2003???? I love Regiment and love the shows you pick, but 2003 for music and overall Regiment, this is a must watch and listen to show. Also, if you reall want Spartacus and want to see and hear it in a powerfull way, go back to 81 or 82 for the true Regiment style. This is when they first introduced it and it was on. No comparison to todays style and yesterdays, but for the day, it was unreal. No one did theme shows back then, so it was way ahead of its time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernie_VKpit Posted August 24, 2013 Author Share Posted August 24, 2013 That said: For the original question, why not 2003???? I love Regiment and love the shows you pick, but 2003 for music and overall Regiment, this is a must watch and listen to show. Also, if you reall want Spartacus and want to see and hear it in a powerfull way, go back to 81 or 82 for the true Regiment style. This is when they first introduced it and it was on. No comparison to todays style and yesterdays, but for the day, it was unreal. No one did theme shows back then, so it was way ahead of its time. They didn't win a championship in 2003. My original was which CHAMPIONSHIP show do you like better, 2008 or 1996. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaredude08 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Caveat: Dmitri Shostakovich is my favorite composer. I have over 50 CDs of JUST Shostakovich music in my collection (maybe closer to 100). I have at least two different recordings of all of his symphonies and much of his recorded ballet and film score music. I have books about him, have studied him, and he is the primary influence on my composing style. This is not to imply that I'm more right or wrong than anyone else, just to warn you that I have OPINIONS in all caps when it comes to DSCH. That said... Defiant Heart has the best opener in DCI history: Jim Wren's masterwork arrangement of the Introduction to Fourth Ballet Suite (originally from Shostakovich's "Limpid Stream" if I'm remembering correctly). After that, though, the show is good-but-not-great for me. The youthful exuberance of Symphony No. 1 seems an odd mesh to the darkness of the opener and the closer. It seems too "playful" to match the rebellious attitude of the rest of the show. I think Symphony No. 11, Mvt. II and/or Symphony No. 15, Mvt. II would have been a better fit here. And, while the start of the Symphony No. 5 section is FANTASTIC, I can't get over how "untrue" to the original Phantom's finale is. The Finale to #5 is NOT supposed to be this driving blaze of glory. It's a sarcastic and bitter finale, a "phony" triumph, with ostinato repeated to the point of absurdity and modulation away from the major-key "triumph" (from DM to Gm and Bbm). It works as drum corps, but I'm too attached to the original work to fully appreciate the drum corps version, I guess. Spartacus just has great programming and execution. I felt the visual design was better, and the music was just as solid. Shaw's and the Rennicks' arrangements are gold. To me, this show is a 20.0 in Musical GE and about a 19.9 in Visual GE. Even after nearly 20 years of following drum corps, this became my new #1 show of all time. I imagined this entire post being recited by Dr. Zoidberg. Kudos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msumello Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 first inclination was to pick Spartacus since I had watched it so many times and the fans really loved it. However, I chose Defiant Heart because of the incredible mello sound Phantom had that year, especially that mello run into the last chord at around 5:20 in the performance, what a sound, I can't get enough of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueShades152 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 If I'm going to watch: Spartacus. If I'm going to just listen: Defiant Heart. Exactly the same for me...I could listen to Defiant Heart on repeat all day, while I could watch Spartacus all day and be perfectly happy. Both absolutely fantastic shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimefan Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 They didn't win a championship in 2003. My original was which CHAMPIONSHIP show do you like better, 2008 or 1996. Aha, I didn't read the entire statement. My bad, but I would still put that show in the classification of a Champion caliber Phantom show. Can't help what other corps did to best them that year. Still one of their best musicals ever. But then between the two, Defiant Heart as it was their first and you could just feel it, the raw emotion. Spartacus was kind of like an expectation going in, and it was the THIRD time they used the music and theme for this show. Not bashing as I loved every snigle one of them, but Defiant was just so powerful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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