The tyranny and folly of abstraction - an open letter to the Cadets de

[Super Don-O]

The Blue Devils more than anyone else in the last decade have developed show designs that reveal meaning and display an aesthetic unity that the judges have rewarded well.

This part I can agree with.

Take the Re-write of Spring show as just one example. The way they incorporated historically accurate dance elements into the brass choreography was something I never would have picked out on my own, but once I read an explanation of how they had incorporated it I sought out Youtube videos of some of those classic performances and was amazed at how much that added to my appreciation of their show. There is layer after layer of musical and visual reference, homage, and interpretation.That level of depth in design, year after year, is inspiring and is one (of many) things that keeps me interested in Drum Corps, and the Devils do it better than anyone.

To be clear, that's not the only approach to show design that I can get behind. Others have mentioned that this year's Bluecoats show was based on an abstract theme and was wildly succesful. i think it's unfair to call out the Cadets or any other corps for wanting to take that approach, making an assumption that it will not be succesful. Let's see what they put on the field and then voice an informed opinion. Who's to say they can't do both an inspirational presentation of the material and layer it with a cerebral concept at the same time. Crown has been pulling that off at the highest level for a few years now, including their first championship. BAC this past year as well.

Please please please though, no narration. YMMV but that's the one thing that really turns me off. Variety is the spice of life I guess.

[chaddyt]

Tough crowd, but that's expected. Insults before inquiry is par for the course with most posters.

The point was to offer feedback BEFORE any major design decisions were made. I've seen this - and other - corps get so far into a concept there's no escaping it, and the show suffers for it, which ultimately it means the members are limited by it, which I always hate to see.

Show concepts can be so arbitrary and so abstract they obscure the emotional and narrative content of the music.

This concept for the Shostakovich show appears to be exactly that, which is a problem. The Cadets will doubtless have the personnel, and surely have the music, to win gold. What has hampered them more than anything else, more often than not in the last 15 years, has been an uneven and sometimes slapdash approach to design.

The Blue Devils more than anyone else in the last decade have developed show designs that reveal meaning and display an aesthetic unity that the judges have rewarded well.

I cited WGI because it is a visually driven medium. DCI design is most effective when the visual reveals the narrative of the music, even if doing so abstractly.

I cannot recall in 30 years of following DCI, though, when a show concept was based on a number of a piece of music. Does that mean this concept is innovative, or just missing the point? The "X" concept is just so arbitrary and abstract it seems to declare from the outset that the concept will have little to do with the music. Concept for concept's sake.

It would be like PR featuring a show of the music to Spartacus, but instead of calling it "Spartacus" and basing the visual on the narrative, they title the show "8", have a drumlins of 8 snares, etc., because the score was the 8th film score composed by Alex North.

I think this is the point, though....

You don't seem to be allowing for the possibility that the Cadets aren't looking for any deeper meaning or aesthetic.

Yes, the Blue Devils often do, and admittedly, I'm starting to come around to their products and designs with each passing year because of it. But not having a meaning is as much a design choice as having one. And I don't see a plus or minus either way, as long as the show entertains me.

[Cappybara]

Are we sure this isn't Brutus in disguise?

[xandandl]

Are we sure this isn't Brutus in disguise?

Very likely the OP is a troller with an added agenda.

For one how little he enters into dialogue but to rant and throw tanrums.

Second, most of the show is already decided by the time Hopkins announces it.

He has already flown thrice to Austin, Texas to consult some prop and band show experts according to various tweets he has posted this Autumn.

Now certainly he has changed his mind over the seasons about certain shows and certain designers. His ole roommate Marc Sylvester is one example.

Music selections have come and gone along the way for various reasons. But rarely is something absolutely new added but something previously discussed.

But anyone who knows Hopkins knows that he is more likely to entrench rather than to dialogue in an antiseptic forum; with him there is always an agenda and some say, an ego or (past) baggage.

So the OP is a bit late trying to have any influence on the Allentown algorithms.

[fsubone]

Are we just not going to talk about SCV's Th3ee? Everything was done in multiples of three, including section make-ups. The corps even came onto the field and set up in the giant pyramid in 3s. Was pretty cool to see them all take different paths to the first set in their little pods.

[2000Cadet]

Tough crowd, but that's expected. Insults before inquiry is par

Holy freaking Hypocrite Batman! Is this the pot calling the KETTLE black?!?!?!

[dbg]

Tough crowd, but that's expected. Insults before inquiry is par for the course with most posters.

The point was to offer feedback BEFORE any major design decisions were made. I've seen this - and other - corps get so far into a concept there's no escaping it, and the show suffers for it, which ultimately it means the members are limited by it, which I always hate to see.

Show concepts can be so arbitrary and so abstract they obscure the emotional and narrative content of the music.

This concept for the Shostakovich show appears to be exactly that, which is a problem. The Cadets will doubtless have the personnel, and surely have the music, to win gold. What has hampered them more than anything else, more often than not in the last 15 years, has been an uneven and sometimes slapdash approach to design.

The Blue Devils more than anyone else in the last decade have developed show designs that reveal meaning and display an aesthetic unity that the judges have rewarded well.

I cited WGI because it is a visually driven medium. DCI design is most effective when the visual reveals the narrative of the music, even if doing so abstractly.

I cannot recall in 30 years of following DCI, though, when a show concept was based on a number of a piece of music. Does that mean this concept is innovative, or just missing the point? The "X" concept is just so arbitrary and abstract it seems to declare from the outset that the concept will have little to do with the music. Concept for concept's sake.

It would be like PR featuring a show of the music to Spartacus, but instead of calling it "Spartacus" and basing the visual on the narrative, they title the show "8", have a drumlins of 8 snares, etc., because the score was the 8th film score composed by Alex North.

Interesting how you claim "tough crowd" while you basically rip on the Cadets design staff.......the staff of a corps that has the 2nd most championships of any corps......and even though the designed staffs have been different from year to year ....they were all led by George Hopkins......and whether you like Hopkins or not.......he has proven himself knowledgable over the years.

interesting how under your screen name is "DCP Rookie" with only 2 posts to date on your account.......ya....and everyone else is a "tough crowd"......hard to take that seriously when you first comment as a member was to rip on the Cadets..........that is unless you created yourself a new account to start trolling something.

Over the years I have basically learned that most of the criticism on this boards is just "arm chair drum corps quarterbacking" and I never take it seriously......but just have to say how I find your original......or shall I say "first ever post"....interesting...........like you became a member to rip on a great corps.

[dbg]

Tough crowd, but that's expected. Insults before inquiry is par for the course with most posters.

The point was to offer feedback BEFORE any major design decisions were made. I've seen this - and other - corps get so far into a concept there's no escaping it, and the show suffers for it, which ultimately it means the members are limited by it, which I always hate to see.

Show concepts can be so arbitrary and so abstract they obscure the emotional and narrative content of the music.

This concept for the Shostakovich show appears to be exactly that, which is a problem. The Cadets will doubtless have the personnel, and surely have the music, to win gold. What has hampered them more than anything else, more often than not in the last 15 years, has been an uneven and sometimes slapdash approach to design.

The Blue Devils more than anyone else in the last decade have developed show designs that reveal meaning and display an aesthetic unity that the judges have rewarded well.

I cited WGI because it is a visually driven medium. DCI design is most effective when the visual reveals the narrative of the music, even if doing so abstractly.

I cannot recall in 30 years of following DCI, though, when a show concept was based on a number of a piece of music. Does that mean this concept is innovative, or just missing the point? The "X" concept is just so arbitrary and abstract it seems to declare from the outset that the concept will have little to do with the music. Concept for concept's sake.

It would be like PR featuring a show of the music to Spartacus, but instead of calling it "Spartacus" and basing the visual on the narrative, they title the show "8", have a drumlins of 8 snares, etc., because the score was the 8th film score composed by Alex North.

Carolina Crown 2010 "Second Chances"

[troon8]

(Someone JUST beat me to it...)

I'm going to come close to playing devil's advocate and say I do understand what the OP is getting at with the whole "ShosT's 10th wasn't about the number 10" thing. This was a minor quip I had with Crown's 2010 (A Second Chance) design...It's not like the audience could get that these were 2nd Symphony's just by listening to them (unless you recognized the music, I guess...) They weren't about the number two, or a second chance. That being said, that didn't preclude Crown from taking the great music and incorporating it into a very good show. The fact that they were second symphonies was just kind of arbitrary to the success of it.

This might be a valid-ish concern, but...I'll reserve judgment until I ACTUALLY SEE THE DANG SHOW. I've shuddered at half of the design announcements in some years, but those I was most cynical about have turned out to be pretty awesome. Sometimes.

Edited November 19, 2014 by troon8

[dbg]

Tough crowd, but that's expected. Insults before inquiry is par for the course with most posters.

The point was to offer feedback BEFORE any major design decisions were made. I've seen this - and other - corps get so far into a concept there's no escaping it, and the show suffers for it, which ultimately it means the members are limited by it, which I always hate to see.

Show concepts can be so arbitrary and so abstract they obscure the emotional and narrative content of the music.

This concept for the Shostakovich show appears to be exactly that, which is a problem. The Cadets will doubtless have the personnel, and surely have the music, to win gold. What has hampered them more than anything else, more often than not in the last 15 years, has been an uneven and sometimes slapdash approach to design.

The Blue Devils more than anyone else in the last decade have developed show designs that reveal meaning and display an aesthetic unity that the judges have rewarded well.

I cited WGI because it is a visually driven medium. DCI design is most effective when the visual reveals the narrative of the music, even if doing so abstractly.

I cannot recall in 30 years of following DCI, though, when a show concept was based on a number of a piece of music. Does that mean this concept is innovative, or just missing the point? The "X" concept is just so arbitrary and abstract it seems to declare from the outset that the concept will have little to do with the music. Concept for concept's sake.

It would be like PR featuring a show of the music to Spartacus, but instead of calling it "Spartacus" and basing the visual on the narrative, they title the show "8", have a drumlins of 8 snares, etc., because the score was the 8th film score composed by Alex North.

Ok.....my last point in regards to your "trolling"......your screen name "WGI spells wedgie".......so you created your screen name of representing yourself about ripping on WGI........so your whole existence in here is based on a negative out look towards WGI............you might as well just change your screen name to "Troll".

people on here are too smart to not see through your shenanigans ...... just sayin

peace out playa.