perc2100 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 .....What corps have just put together a show with great music and NO theme? Just wondering why there has to be a THEME! Anyone? Bluecoats 2014. "TILT" isn't a theme, it's just a word that the corps used to enhance their visual production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Bluecoats 2014. "TILT" isn't a theme, it's just a word that the corps used to enhance their visual production. Agreed. Cadets 2013 Side X Side was also a powerhouse show that really didn't beat you over the head with a theme sans annoying towers. Just great great great music and drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31rabbit Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 maybe what this discussion needs is a sliding scale of theme-ness, in which 0 would be 'musical numbers performed with no relation to each other' (much of the 70's) and 10 would be 'every element of the show is tied to each other with a presented concept or narrative (I think the Cadets 2005 - 2009 would be 9's and 10's, or Phantom '08).' and 5 would be a show that connects like-flavored music around a loose construction (BD 2003?). is raising a show's 'theme score' a new requisite for success? running out 4 unrelated pieces would reflect certain lackings (though who knows when somebody is going to go all meta- and Brechtian and dischord etc). but on the other hand there are shows that seem to bump the narrative without there being a benefit to the performance (example: Boston last year. a show that I dug a lot but never quite saw how the theme developed into it beyond a superficial level, making it more of a distraction). so I guess the developing question is, can a show can be considered Great in a modern sense if it doesn't employ the unifying thematic devices that are now supporting the performances of the Elite Corps? when was the last time a show with minimal unifying theme was competitive and popular? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Bluecoats 2014. "TILT" isn't a theme, it's just a word that the corps used to enhance their visual production. But that word is the theme. True that they based the theme on a word, but since all elements of visual and music utilized "tilting," then it is a theme. It's like the Cadets Juxtaperformance show. They created a word using the prefix juxta with the word performance. Here's an article Michael Boo did on the show. http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=02a802ee-8148-4ee7-abbd-ea23c3d3b811 If we're talking storyline, there are many shows, but if we're using the generic word theme, then they had one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Cadets "Juxtaperformance" in 2001 comes to mind. http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=02a802ee-8148-4ee7-abbd-ea23c3d3b811 Had a theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 so I guess the developing question is, can a show can be considered Great in a modern sense if it doesn't employ the unifying thematic devices that are now supporting the performances of the Elite Corps? when was the last time a show with minimal unifying theme was competitive and popular? I would say for that it's been a while, especially in the top corps. Most, if not all shows I can think of since 1990 have had something tying them together. People point out Madison as not having themes in the 90's, yet they started using titles for their shows in 1990, with the exception of 1994. But that show had musical themes that tied the entire production together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I guess we need a way to define "theme" to have a real conversation. If we look at 1975 Cadets, they played: In the Hall of the Mountain King-Grieg Fanfare for the Common Man/Lincoln Portrait-Copland Anything Goes-Cole Porter Avenue C-Buck Clayton In the Mood-Joe Garland Tiger Rag-Larocca Alexander's Ragtime Band-Irving Berlin What are you Doing for the Rest of Your Life-Michael Legrand Romeo and Juliet-Tchaikovski and the program had no title If we fast forward to 1994, Madison played a show, with no title, that included: Santos-By Matt Catingub performed by Louie Bellson Cuban Overture-Gershwin Malaga-Bill Holman The Cadets show has nothing that tied it together visually or musically, yet the Madison show, again with no title, was all using music based in "latin" rhythms. So clearly the Cadets show had no theme, but the Madison show, sans title, had a musical theme that tied it together in chords, rhythms, melody composition, etc. But would we argue that the Madison show, because it had no title, had no theme, even though it was cohesive from a musical standpoint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31rabbit Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 BD's 2007 always strikes me as the show from the last 15 years that is the least like the other winner. No doubt it's the least 'brought up' winner post-2000, either as a positive or a negative. is that because it is very low on the theme scale? the other post-2000 championship shows have had concepts that really permeated throughout, whereas BD 2007 was just an elegant show performed very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 It's like the Cadets Juxtaperformance show. They created a word using the prefix juxta with the word performance. Here's an article Michael Boo did on the show. http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=02a802ee-8148-4ee7-abbd-ea23c3d3b811 If we're talking storyline, there are many shows, but if we're using the generic word theme, then they had one. Well, from the very article you quote: "As 'just a performance,' the show is a sterling example of a successful non-thematic production in an era when it seemed that shows were expected to have a thematic tie-in." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemesiscorps Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I guess we need a way to define "theme" to have a real conversation. If we look at 1975 Cadets, they played: In the Hall of the Mountain King-Grieg Fanfare for the Common Man/Lincoln Portrait-Copland Anything Goes-Cole Porter Avenue C-Buck Clayton In the Mood-Joe Garland Tiger Rag-Larocca Alexander's Ragtime Band-Irving Berlin What are you Doing for the Rest of Your Life-Michael Legrand Romeo and Juliet-Tchaikovski and the program had no title If we fast forward to 1994, Madison played a show, with no title, that included: Santos-By Matt Catingub performed by Louie Bellson Cuban Overture-Gershwin Malaga-Bill Holman The Cadets show has nothing that tied it together visually or musically, yet the Madison show, again with no title, was all using music based in "latin" rhythms. So clearly the Cadets show had no theme, but the Madison show, sans title, had a musical theme that tied it together in chords, rhythms, melody composition, etc. But would we argue that the Madison show, because it had no title, had no theme, even though it was cohesive from a musical standpoint? These are good examples. However, I think we can all agree that just because an ensemble plays "jazz," that, in and of itself, does no constitute a "theme," but more so, it simply identifies a a style, idiom, genre, etc. There's also the real possibility that "a theme is in the eye of the beholder." In other words, in casual conversation, someone's interpretation of what they observed on the field may likely be communicated in the following manner, "That corps had a 'classical theme' to their show." IMO, the OP's question speaks along the lines of, "What's expected in drum corps these days?" Most would agree that there's an assumption that a show should "make sense" by having some fundamental elements capable of connecting to a spectator... be they judge or audience member. We've sort of morphed into recognizing those elements as a theme for the production, whether intended or not. In fact, it seems that we've gotten so intrenched in this line of thinking that even if a corps were to actively declare not having a theme, by default, that declaration would become their theme. Interestingly, in a general "non-drum corps" sense, musical ensembles across the board (bands, orchestras, etc.) can still get away with just presenting a variety of pieces, and people oftentimes walk away appreciative of that variety. Clearly, that likely wouldn't fly in competitive drum corps today because the sheets themselves speak to design elements that are strengthened by having... wait for it... a theme. 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.