KVG_DC Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 12 hours ago, Sutasaurus said: Anybody else familiar with this piece???? Would love for Regiment to pull this off! You have to commit to watch the entire opera then draw your conclusion. Here’s a teaser I've been putting Dr. Atomic out there for awhile. Yeah there's lots of good parts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 2 hours ago, KVG_DC said: I've been putting Dr. Atomic out there for awhile. Yeah there's lots of good parts. I used to chide my colleagues when they proposed what I considered preposterous and overblown titles for their shows. I felt they often were promising "The History of the Universe in all its Complexity" or "The Bible-meets-The Koran-at-Buddha's House Party"...all in 11 minutes. Now I'm not so sure it can't be done, in a way at least. A well-chosen and edited segment from "Atomic" might just serve as a portion of such a show. Adams has always been interesting, particularly in the rhythm sphere. Percussionists love him, and with good reason. Melodically, well...let's just say he's no Puccini. Still, he's a pro and I'd much prefer to hear music from folks like J.A. than the sophomoric attempts of many of the lesser-gifted and inexperienced who dare to write "original" music for Drum Corps, just because they have a degree from West Jock Strap College of (Mostly) Fine Arts. All composers have a "tell". For Bach it's I, IV, V. For Lenny, the tri-tone leap. Adams seems to be determined to broker a harmonic friendship between F# and G natural. (Check the first movement of his "Atomic Symphony", derived from the opera's overture.) In the hands of a top "Drum Corps" arranger (read, "orchestrator") this source material could serve well as a show segment. Whether that particular audience's ears are ready...we won't know until someone yells "Bombs Away!" 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 4 hours ago, ironlips said: I used to chide my colleagues when they proposed what I considered preposterous and overblown titles for their shows. I felt they often were promising "The History of the Universe in all its Complexity" Someone's doing a Mel Brooks show? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 45 minutes ago, KVG_DC said: Someone's doing a Mel Brooks show? Now THAT'S something I could get behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 On 2/18/2024 at 10:39 AM, ironlips said: Still, he's a pro and I'd much prefer to hear music from folks like J.A. than the sophomoric attempts of many of the lesser-gifted and inexperienced who dare to write "original" music for Drum Corps, just because they have a degree from West Jock Strap College of (Mostly) Fine Arts. Well put, and most "original" music in DCI falls here, let's be honest, even if the writer has a degree from a more prestigious institution. Sometimes these people are great at taking motifs from truly great pieces and fiddling with them to do something "original" sounding. That gets into your orchestration comment... Quote In the hands of a top "Drum Corps" arranger (read, "orchestrator") this source material could serve well as a show segment. Yep. And that skill that requires a great ear for it to end up sounding good on the field. It's what separates somebody like Klesch doing "Nimrod" from people who don't have a good ear. That piece is so weak both melodically and harmonically it's almost impossible to arrange for something like DCI, but Klesch did great with it and so many other ballad-type pieces over the years. I equate that with what you said about Adams....not a whole lot to work with from an orchestration standpoint outside of percussion most of the time, but that doesn't get in the way for the greats in our activity. Same with Downey and what he did with all those jazz charts by Sebesky and Ellis in 1991 and 1993. I can always tell when somebody has done their work using protools or whatever without giving much thought to how particular instruments actually sound together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 Trevor Morris did tons of good work on The Tudors, but I love this section because it combines 2 of his best themes, imo. The ending is pretty hair raising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Here's my suggestion for source material: William Grant Still composed this in 1930, four years before the Greshwin boys put pen to paper for Porgy and Bess. It may very well be in the Public Domain by now. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 That piece is gorgeous. Going to check out some of his other work. Just read that he was a prolific opera writer. Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 18 minutes ago, Lance said: That piece is gorgeous. Going to check out some of his other work. Just read that he was a prolific opera writer. Wow. The opera pieces are great. https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/artists/still-william-grant/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keystone3ply Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 "Play That Country Tuba". Why is it that I've never heard this tune? So much potential for the Troopers or other daring corps? Wonder how @Hook'emCavies would feel about a Cavies production? 🤠🫢 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.