The National Anthem at DCI shows

[CrownBariDad]

We may want to check protocol here. I have heard the National Anthem played by brass instruments (possibly Key of G instruments since it is usually by an alumni corps) at drum corps events and sung, but it is my understanding that it is supposed to be sung. I'm not sure if that is a set in stone rule, but when the Olympics rolls around and the National Anthem is played and not sung at a medals award ceremony, it causes quite a stir among some.

Best solution for drum corps: a singer accompanied by members from a drum corps.

Hmmmm...so all those mornings when I was in the Navy and the band turned out for Morning Colors with no singer, we were doing it wrong? I don't think so.

[Grumpy]

I really wish DCI corps would include an American flag section in their field show much the same as most DCA corps. I see no reason why our flag shouldn't be on the field for each corps' performance.

[Rifuarian]

I wonder how many people actually know where the 'melody', not the words, but the 'melody' for our National Anthem was mainly sang in the United States prior to it being chosen as the backing melody for the words penned by Francis Scott Key? Here is a hint:

Of course that's not actually true, but it is a good story to use if you're wanting to show off knowledge you gleaned from e-mail forwards.

To Anacreon in Heaven was the anthem of the Anacreontic Society, which consisted of amateur musicians. Being musicians they were no doubt inebriated much of the time, but the song itself is not really a drinking and isn't suitable as such given how hard it is to sing.

[Rifuarian]

I really wish DCI corps would include an American flag section in their field show much the same as most DCA corps. I see no reason why our flag shouldn't be on the field for each corps' performance.

Where would you fit the color pre in say, 2008 PR, or a recent BD show, to name a few examples? I love the flag, anthem, etc. but I take a different attitude than most when it comes to these symbols as I feel they should be used less, not more. IMO overuse dilutes their impact and turns meaningful display into meaningless rote patriotism. Shoehorning the flag into a field show would be the ultimate example of this.

[JimF-LowBari]

Hmmmm...so all those mornings when I was in the Navy and the band turned out for Morning Colors with no singer, we were doing it wrong? I don't think so.

8AM every morning at the Naval Depot I work at has the band verision of the National Anthem playing over the loudspeakers.

[Stu]

Of course that's not actually true, but it is a good story to use if you're wanting to show off knowledge you gleaned from e-mail forwards.

To Anacreon in Heaven was the anthem of the Anacreontic Society, which consisted of amateur musicians. Being musicians they were no doubt inebriated much of the time, but the song itself is not really a drinking and isn't suitable as such given how hard it is to sing.

You and I are both correct; and this is not email forwarding urban legend but actually what happened to the morphing of the melody in America from 1760 to 1814 along with the official recognition as the National Anthem in 1931: The song To Anacreon in Heaven was composed somewhere around 1760 for, and sang by, members of the 'London' based Anacreontic Society. Again, it is important to note that this was a song composed for a ‘London’ based society. As disgruntled people left England for the Colonies on the North American continent they of course brought with them tunes and melodies from their past. Those coming to America generally had a grudge against merry ole England (see the 1776 Declaration of Independence written sixteen years after the Anacreon song was composed), so words to tunes and melodies got changed even as they were sang on the ships in transport to North America. By the time the war of 1812 rolled around the melody for the song To Anacreon in Heaven was being used in the United States as a basis for many various lyrics; and of course many of those were sang while taking part in libations at the local American Pubs. Francis Scott Key penned his poem Defence of Fort M'Henry in 1814 after personally observing the Chesapeake Bay battle surrounding Fort McHenry. Soon after, people began to fit those words on top of the very well known and popular Anacreon melody, which again was a melody that had many versions sang while enjoying brews at places where people know your name. In 1869 the American Navy officially adopted the melody with the FSK lyrics; in 1916 President Wilson acknowledged the song with the FSK lyrics; and in 1931 the United States Congress passed an official resolution, signed by President Hoover that made the melody with the FSK lyrics the official United States National Anthem.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Stu

[Grumpy]

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Edited January 16, 2014 by Grumpy

[JimF-LowBari]

Of course that's not actually true, but it is a good story to use if you're wanting to show off knowledge you gleaned from e-mail forwards.

To Anacreon in Heaven was the anthem of the Anacreontic Society, which consisted of amateur musicians. Being musicians they were no doubt inebriated much of the time, but the song itself is not really a drinking and isn't suitable as such given how hard it is to sing.

From what I've read (right/wrong/in between) the hardness of singing the song was part of the reason it was sung while drinking. IOW - when you are so blotto you can't sing it any more, you've had enough. Sort of like an pre-tech breath-a-lizer.

[MikeD]

I really wish DCI corps would include an American flag section in their field show much the same as most DCA corps. I see no reason why our flag shouldn't be on the field for each corps' performance.

Do you mean an honor section standing over in the corner of the field? Why would at least two people want to spend thousands of dollars to go stand in the corner of the field? Or even if they were told it is free...why would they want to waste their time doing nothing but stand in the corner for months?

Even in the early days of DCI, corps stopped using real American Flags and used faux ones to avoid any chance of a flag violation.

[Stu]

IMO overuse dilutes their impact and turns meaningful display into meaningless rote patriotism.

This statement of yours I completely agree with and here is why: Many people sing the National Anthem, as well as recite the Pledge of Allegiance, in a routine manner. I certainly do believe they are sincere in their emotions while engaging both. However, very, very, very few of them take the time to comprehend the words. So what ends up happening is that they have no understanding as to what the words actually mean.