Jump to content

is this the oldest drum corps video on youTube?


Recommended Posts

A different 1927 AL Nationals Parade video from Paris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMhc7Xfu-iQ

The drum and bugle corps that I can identify are the Kankakee, IL Post at the 10:08 mark, and the former national champion Boys of '76 from Racine, WI at the 11:28 mark. Kankakee took 2nd place (by just .80) in the 1927 championship. Miami's Harvey Seeds Rebels won the title.

Neat! Although I think, as often happens with silent film, that it's being played back a bit too fast in this video. Often silent film was shot and projected at a slower speed than the 24 fps which became standard with sound film. This gets complicated by the fact that the cameras were hand-cranked, and sometimes shot at slower or faster rates for effect, but it usually didn't look as sped-up and jerky when originally projected as it often appears when we see silent films shown nowadays.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNI4fQRJAMY

Madison 1955 - is this the oldest video of a drum corps on YouTube?

Gives a fascinating insight to drum corps back then. I wonder if all corps followed this style/approach?

Here's 1955 Cadets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GURsMyWGcus

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

True symmetrical drill really started about 1974 when back-field entry was allowed. The style on the video starting on the side 1 goal line (aka known as the 'starting line') was used because during big contests like VFW would sometimes have 70+ corps competing - this was the most efficent way to keep the show moving along. You underwent inspection on side 1 at the back of the end zone while the corps before yours was on the field, then moved up to the starting line, performed and ended in the side 2 end zone. Once on the field, most drill was symmetrical.

Very interesting. I wonder how much dead time there was between shows back in those days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neat! Although I think, as often happens with silent film, that it's being played back a bit too fast in this video. Often silent film was shot and projected at a slower speed than the 24 fps which became standard with sound film. This gets complicated by the fact that the cameras were hand-cranked, and sometimes shot at slower or faster rates for effect, but it usually didn't look as sped-up and jerky when originally projected as it often appears when we see silent films shown nowadays.

Wasn't the silent days at 16 fps which added to the jerkiness? Of course back then the people were used to it so not problem.

Kind of like people today being used to Hi-Def saying the DCI vids from the PBS days look horrible. :tounge2:

And Brian as for ID'ing Boys of '76 (aka Racine AL Post #76) it also helps that I have a copy of the book about them between the wars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So as far as I recall, drum corps weren't allowed to use marching mallet instruments until about 1974. In the 1955 Madison video they used upright bells. So anyone know the history. Could drum corps have used up righ bells up to 1974?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Written by George Fennell? He and I traded historical drum corps periodicals from our collections about 30 years ago.

Thats the one, I couldn't remember his name and the book is at home. He also did "Racine: Drum Corps Capital of The World". It's one of a series of books called "Images of America" that has old pictures of whatever town or subject being discussed. Have a bunch of the "Images" books including one from Hanover, PA that has 1920s pics of the local American Legions corps.... who I joined about 80 years later....

Edit: I googled and the Boys of 76 book is called: "The Racine American Legion Post 76 Drum and Bugle Corps: A Scrapbook History: 1916 - 1946". Has a chapter on the trip to Paris in 1927.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...