Grumpy Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I have seen/heard the Anthem performed by individual singers, individual buglers, alumni groups/corps and brass ensembles of competing units and by recording. The important thing is that it is played and that we should all take pride in our country and remember the sacrifices made by those who made it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms that we have. We should also show respect when the anthems of other countries are played in honor of their participants. My thought on why we don't always have corps/ensembles playing the Anthem may lie in logistics. Not all competing units are in close proximity to the stadium at the time the contest begins, especially the last few performing corps and not every show has alumni or all age corps participating. My experience has been that the show organizers will have the Anthem performed by corps/ensembles if they have them available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) 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. I am aware of an official United States Flag Code (which, by the way, more and more Americans are choosing to ignore), but I am not aware of any official, unofficial, or even simply implied protocol which mandates the United States National Anthem must be 'sung' and not just performed as an instrumental.. Could you imagine this scenario at DCI Finals? "Well folks, we had secured the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps to perform the National Anthem by themselves, but we just became aware that breaks protocol which mandates it must be 'sung' not just played on instruments; and so we are going to have Roseanne Barr, who is in the press box area with us this evening, sing our National Anthem while the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps is backing up her vocal stylings." Edited January 15, 2014 by Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I am aware of an official United States Flag Code (which, by the way, more and more Americans are choosing to ignore), but I am not aware of any official, unofficial, or even simply implied protocol which mandates the United States National Anthem must be 'sung' and not just performed as an instrumental.. Could you imagine this scenario at DCI Finals? "Well folks, we had secured the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps to perform the National Anthem by themselves, but we just became aware that breaks protocol which mandates it must be 'sung' not just played on instruments; and so we are going to have Roseanne Barr, who is in the press box area with us this evening, sing our National Anthem while the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps is backing up her vocal stylings." LOL thinking of "Jaws" when Robert Shaw ran his fingernails over the blackboard.... sounded nicer. Never heard of the preference for singing either. My usual gripe is one person sings the National Anthem and feel like the audience should have the option to sing it too. With some of the non-standard ways it has been sung it's impossible to sing along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) LOL thinking of "Jaws" when Robert Shaw ran his fingernails over the blackboard.... sounded nicer. Never heard of the preference for singing either. My usual gripe is one person sings the National Anthem and feel like the audience should have the option to sing it too. With some of the non-standard ways it has been sung it's impossible to sing along. I agree with you that the performed arrangement needs to be accessible to the public and not a ‘progressive artistic treatment’ or a ‘personal statement’ by the performer. The National Anthem is about ‘us’ not the person performing. When I am at live events as a spectator I always sing along whether it is officially performed by a singer or an instrumentalist, and usually so do others around me. Also, I just re-listened to the video link recording of Jesse McGuire performing on trumpet which was in the first post. I had no problems whatsoever singing along to what he was playing; and if I were in the stands at that live event I would have sang along. Edited January 15, 2014 by Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 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: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I agree with you that the performed arrangement needs to be accessible to the public and not a ‘progressive artistic treatment’ or a ‘personal statement’ by the performer. The National Anthem is about ‘us’ not the person performing. When I am at live events as a spectator I always sing along whether it is officially performed by a singer or an instrumentalist, and usually so do others around me. Also, I just re-listened to the video link recording of Jesse McGuire performing on trumpet which was in the first post. I had no problems whatsoever singing along to what he was playing; and if I were in the stands at that live event I would have sang along. That's a pretty good barometer: if you can sing along to the performer's "stylings" of the Banner then it's a "good" one. I have a HUGE pet peeve when a performer's stylings REALLY stray from the original from a melodic standpoint: usually singers bug me a lot more, as they tend to stray a bit more than musicians. But you're right: if you can sing along with zero/minimal problems (I personally ALWAYS have "minimal" problems singing the banner, but what do ya expect from a percussionist ) it's a 'good' performance of the Banner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 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: I brought that up years back on here and got royally slammed by a poster (wish I could remember who). Guy actually used a Rube Goldburg type logic why it WASN'T what we (and historians) belive. As a bonus question ... at what tempo was it originally sung... Note to self: burn to CD the vinyl I have with Civil War era instruments playing it Civil War era style..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 That's a pretty good barometer: if you can sing along to the performer's "stylings" of the Banner then it's a "good" one. I have a HUGE pet peeve when a performer's stylings REALLY stray from the original from a melodic standpoint: usually singers bug me a lot more, as they tend to stray a bit more than musicians. But you're right: if you can sing along with zero/minimal problems (I personally ALWAYS have "minimal" problems singing the banner, but what do ya expect from a percussionist ) it's a 'good' performance of the Banner The bold is where a performer makes the song extremely self-centered, as in ‘this performance is all about me', instead of actually being humble and honoring the sacrifices done by others which built this great nation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 As a bonus question ... at what tempo was it originally sung... Prior to the melody being set to the words of Francis Scott Key, the tempo depended on the amount of beverage being consumed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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