Jump to content

No more chopped arrangements - please!


Recommended Posts

Love me some Reprise.

Exactly!

The perfect reprise makes a show complete.

Phantom Regiment 2003 comes to mind, when they go back into Pachelbel's Canon. One of the greatest reprises in DCI history. I can literally replay the final minute of that show in my head, complete with drill, guard, percussion and brass, as if it were a DVD in my head.

Things like that make a show memorable.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So let me get this straight........95% of all corps (open and world class) perform fairly traditional music and drill, with nuance and originality of course...but largely traditional....(minimal or no chopped charts, no scatter drill, etc)............ AND we want that other 5% to frickin' get in line! :blink: What a completely boring and unimaginative concept. I want DC designers (music and visual) to explore as much as they have imagination to do. If it doesn't work, it will give them a measure to adjust from and make better.....all for our benefit. I say Chop Away!

I have come to accept the ADD (Choppy) arranging as part of the evolution of the activity, but it goes overboard sometimes, and seems to be done more for content scores than anything else and can come across very forced, and not entertaining.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have come to accept the ADD (Choppy) arranging as part of the evolution of the activity, but it goes overboard sometimes, and seems to be done more for content scores than anything else and can come across very forced, and not entertaining.

Yes, I think some people in the thread are understandably lumping together medleys or snippets with arrangements that try to turn on a dime in the middle of a musical thought. Almost within a phrase at times. See Cadets opening statement.

Edit: not saying that is an unacceptable practice at all, but it's odd to see it featured so prominently now at key moments. I think it makes those moments less impactful.

Edited by duhurhurrr
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back from Allentown.

- Troopers got 2 standing O's because they played most or all of America the Beautiful.

- Why doesn't Crown play all, or at least the best part (chorus) of Major Tom?

- Crossmen plays bits and pieces of Caravan and when they finally get to the jam, it's not as special b/c we didn't go through the build up to it.

- Cadets show is only suitable if you have ADD.

I defense of the Crossmen, "Caravan" may be done in snippets, but their other numbers, particularly the ballad "Emmanuel" are played for a fairly long time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I think some people in the thread are understandably lumping together medleys or snippets with arrangements that try to turn on a dime in the middle of a musical thought. Almost within a phrase at times. See Cadets opening statement.

Edit: not saying that is an unacceptable practice at all, but it's odd to see it featured so prominently now at key moments. I think it makes those moments less impactful.

Absolutely!

I have no objection with medleys and an occasional short segment of a larger, UNCHANGED, melody. My problem is with an arranger selecting a well-known piece, then placing his/her own 'stamp' on it by essentially making it unrecognizable, I suppose this is sometimes done to extreme in grasp of playing difficult versions, just for the sake of the difficulty. If it's done in attempt to improve upon someone else's proven and marketable standard, I'll pass. The chance of 'doing a better Gershwin, than Gershwin himself' seems pretty unlikely out on a football field with musicians running around and almost standing on the heads.

Edited by Fred Windish
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Certain designers (both musically and visually) WANT to pull your senses in different directions. More recently, "disturbing or unsettling" has been one of them. If it is chop and bop for no reason....the outcome (both from the viewing audience and the judges) will be unfavorable....and it should be. But if there's a reason and if the story or visual effect is connected (even stimulated) as a result of the musical phrase....then it has merit and adds to the effect. That's why I say, let the designers present the visual and musical concept in their own way....don't restrict them to a set of guidelines demanding complete phrases and melodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exactly!

The perfect reprise makes a show complete.

Phantom Regiment 2003 comes to mind, when they go back into Pachelbel's Canon. One of the greatest reprises in DCI history. I can literally replay the final minute of that show in my head, complete with drill, guard, percussion and brass, as if it were a DVD in my head.

Things like that make a show memorable.

Think also -- Cadets 1983 Rocky Point reprise!

Cadets these days tend to prefer the summary/medley/kitchen sink "reprise". Bocook is the king at those -- see 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Certain designers (both musically and visually) WANT to pull your senses in different directions. More recently, "disturbing or unsettling" has been one of them. If it is chop and bop for no reason....the outcome (both from the viewing audience and the judges) will be unfavorable....and it should be. But if there's a reason and if the story or visual effect is connected (even stimulated) as a result of the musical phrase....then it has merit and adds to the effect. That's why I say, let the designers present the visual and musical concept in their own way....don't restrict them to a set of guidelines demanding complete phrases and melodies.

Of course. The arrangers can do whatever they want. They can experiment with all music that makes no sense to a general audience, if they choose. There is a real risk in that kind of creativity. When audiences shrink, comments come in that are unflattering, any words of defense will similarly be ignored. Some of the 'modified' stuff I've heard is almost ridiculous at this level of presentation, serving only the egos of the few. Seems to me, when you make your living in a football stadium, mass appeal is important, I'm sure there are exceptions, but not many.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exactly!

The perfect reprise makes a show complete.

Phantom Regiment 2003 comes to mind, when they go back into Pachelbel's Canon. One of the greatest reprises in DCI history. I can literally replay the final minute of that show in my head, complete with drill, guard, percussion and brass, as if it were a DVD in my head.

Things like that make a show memorable.

One of my favorite closers even if it was a visual mess.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my favorite closers even if it was a visual mess.

Same here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...