chaddyt Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 What made this show special for me was the constant thread of tension running through it, even though other ideas were being expressed at the same time. I'm not sure how they did that. That tension builds until the finale, so that while the finale itself is spectacular enough, it's really the release of all the tension built up throughout the show that gave it such an impact. Shock and awe drum corps at its best. I would also say that we have seen the corps innovate around a consistent foundation, and they are still doing that. After a couple of decades you can see the foundation itself, so it appears formulaic to us. But any new drum corps fan seeing 2011, 2012 and 2013 would say those are completely different ideas with plenty of innovation. I mean, yes I see the consistency, but no corps ever put together a show like 2013 before. Star 93 was different, this is different. People are asking a lot, which is good, but you can't say the Cadets are not innovating. While I give mad props to the horn line and drumline for a spectacular musical performance last year, I don't see the overall innovation in the show. A concept of duality is something the Cadets have explored numerous times in the recent past. The layering of different musical ideas has been done by many other corps. And the musical selections were all retreads as well. The towers are the only arguable new idea on the field (IMO) and where the show struggled the most. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Freedman Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 While I give mad props to the horn line and drumline for a spectacular musical performance last year, I don't see the overall innovation in the show. A concept of duality is something the Cadets have explored numerous times in the recent past. The layering of different musical ideas has been done by many other corps. And the musical selections were all retreads as well. The towers are the only arguable new idea on the field (IMO) and where the show struggled the most. I don't see innovation as simply consisting of physical elements that haven't been seen before. It's more about an overall approach to the material and how it expresses a set of related feelings. There was a consistent overall mood throughout the show - austere, perhaps? - that no corps did before so consistently to my knowledge. Star 93 was more about anger and pain. The Barber was arranged to support that. Visually they were stark, but emotionally it was all about rage. And I see that Blue Knights in 2002 did Barber and Shostakovich, but since it was called Fear and Trembling I'm thinking it was a different mood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Freedman Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 ... And I see that Blue Knights in 2002 did Barber and Shostakovich, but since it was called Fear and Trembling I'm thinking it was a different mood. Unfortunately they aren't in FN because they didn't make finals. Oh, well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaddyt Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Anyone tune in to the Cadet's webinar last night? Curious if it made you more or less excited for the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brichtimp Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Based on the webinar samples, I am hoping the sheer amount of narration will be tamped down...this is not a concert production of Lincoln Portrait, after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Unfortunately they aren't in FN because they didn't make finals. Oh, well. That's a darn shame - one of the best openers I've ever seen/heard in 25 years of drum corps. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris ncsu Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Anyone tune in to the Cadet's webinar last night? Curious if it made you more or less excited for the show. Well, we chatted during the webinar, so you know my answer is "less excited". Trying not to take midi files seriously, but I think the show is obviously approachable based only on musical selection -- will have to see how the arrangement, performance, and visual create deeper interest. And yes, less narration, which Hop acknowledged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Well, we chatted during the webinar, so you know my answer is "less excited". Trying not to take midi files seriously, but I think the show is obviously approachable based only on musical selection -- will have to see how the arrangement, performance, and visual create deeper interest. And yes, less narration, which Hop acknowledged. What's the music selection they have this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaddyt Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 What's the music selection they have this year? Copland. Lincoln Portrait, Promise of Living (again) and something else of his that sounds like Camptown Races. Narration should be interesting considering they're going back and forth between an on-field narrator and sound clips of the presidents. From the webinar, I feel the show is already bordering on "hokey" so they're going to really need to fine tune not only what's being said, but how it's performed as well. I appreciate their accessibility in the off season (it's truly unmatched by any other corps), but I'm not at all excited for this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Copland. Lincoln Portrait, Promise of Living (again) and something else of his that sounds like Camptown Races. Narration should be interesting considering they're going back and forth between an on-field narrator and sound clips of the presidents. From the webinar, I feel the show is already bordering on "hokey" so they're going to really need to fine tune not only what's being said, but how it's performed as well. I appreciate their accessibility in the off season (it's truly unmatched by any other corps), but I'm not at all excited for this show. I haven't listened to the webinars, but would you say there's going to be more narration than Crown 2013. Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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