FlamMan Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I was just talking to a former friend yesterday about that. We agreed that long gone are the days when corps just came out and played songs. They didn't have to fit together in a concept or theme, they were just good solid tunes that you could hum all the way to the parking lot. It was truly music (even if some songs had to be shortened for time). I would actually spend way more being all the CDs to listen to, rather than the DVDs. Music has very little to do with this modern activity, and that's one of the reasons I just don't care that much about it anymore. Sure there's excitement with all the visual stuff going on....but the "music" is simply a soundtrack for what's happening on the field. Back in the day, the music was so well developed that you could get emotional from listening to it. It hit you in the heart strings! And that happened most of the time with most corps. There were tunes that made me tear up on a regular basis. Thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking. Well said. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 On the other hand, I see where shows have gotten more creative. Staging has become an integral part of shows these days. Though I may not like all of the music being played, I can appreciate the difficulty of drill and guard book. Agreed, but why does it have to happen at the expense of music and entertainment? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I have to agree with a couple of posters about the lack of "songs" being played today compared to 10+ years ago. I have been following this activity since 1975. I used to purchase CDs from all of the corps. I no longer do this since 1) I either don't recognize the music or 2) the music is so chopped up that I don't care for it. On the other hand, I see where shows have gotten more creative. Staging has become an integral part of shows these days. Though I may not like all of the music being played, I can appreciate the difficulty of drill and guard book. The music is often recognizable to those who participate in the activity. Modern composers like Corporon, Whitacre, Reed, Adams, & Dougherty are all music that high school and college musicians are playing in their programs. Even if they don't recognize the piece at first, they recognize the name as its very likely that they've played another of that composer's pieces. Heck, some of the jazz you've heard the last few years is Kenton, Ellis, and Levy. And much of their stuff is off the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 The music is often recognizable to those who participate in the activity. Modern composers like Corporon, Whitacre, Reed, Adams, & Dougherty are all music that high school and college musicians are playing in their programs. Even if they don't recognize the piece at first, they recognize the name as its very likely that they've played another of that composer's pieces. Heck, some of the jazz you've heard the last few years is Kenton, Ellis, and Levy. And much of their stuff is off the wall. Chris, You make some wonderful points here particularly that what is popular and known as contemporary by one generation in the activity may be totally unknown by other generation(s) in the activity as long as DCi is around. Once it was an activity of ordinary folks. Now it is more an activity of specialists (music majors and minors.) Apples and oranges. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) Chris, You make some wonderful points here particularly that what is popular and known as contemporary by one generation in the activity may be totally unknown by other generation(s) in the activity as long as DCi is around. Once it was an activity of ordinary folks. Now it is more an activity of specialists (music majors and minors.) Apples and oranges. Music majors and non music majors have played many of these pieces and composers. Stop trying to make this some elitist library. These are composers that high schools are using. Ghost Train Tryptich (Whitacre) Russian Christmas Music (Reed), Go look up the darned composers like you did when you marched. Did you know who everything that Mozart wrote? No. You went and asked someone for a recording and listened to it. So do now what you did back then and go look up Eugene Corporon. He's still alive. So is Eric Whitacre. You'll find lots of his stuff online. ( even for free) If you don't know Kenton, Ellis, or Hank Levy i feed bad for you. Their writing inspired many a great modern big bands to form like Big Phat Band, New York Big Band, or paved the way for guys like Alan Baylock to write what he does. Again, go look em up. Man. It's like some of you simply refuse to expand your brains and open up to new ideas. I have middle school kids coming in to high school who know who the heck John Adams the composer is. He's still alive. Go look him up. Edited July 18, 2016 by C.Holland 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz16 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 If you don't know Kenton, Ellis, or Hank Levy i feed bad for you. Their writing inspired many a great modern big bands to form like Big Phat Band, New York Big Band, or paved the way for guys like Alan Baylock to write what he does. Again, go look em up. Man. It's like some of you simply refuse to expand your brains and open up to new ideas. I have middle school kids coming in to high school who know who the heck John Adams the composer is. He's still alive. Go look him up. One of the reasons I really enjoyed 2014 was because it introduced me (a member of the 20-something DCI fan base) to a lot of jazz music that I hadn't been exposed to before... I think they tried to fit too many tunes in, but for me, it was a great introduction to the "greats". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlamMan Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 One of the reasons I really enjoyed 2014 was because it introduced me (a member of the 20-something DCI fan base) to a lot of jazz music that I hadn't been exposed to before... I think they tried to fit too many tunes in, but for me, it was a great introduction to the "greats". The very best drum corps jazz lesson that I can suggest is to listen to 1976 - 1981 Blue Devils. Also, & this is completely unbiased, throw in 1981 Madison opener as well! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) Music majors and non music majors have played many of these pieces and composers. Stop trying to make this some elitist library. These are composers that high schools are using. Ghost Train Tryptich (Whitacre) Russian Christmas Music (Reed), Go look up the darned composers like you did when you marched. Did you know who everything that Mozart wrote? No. You went and asked someone for a recording and listened to it. So do now what you did back then and go look up Eugene Corporon. He's still alive. So is Eric Whitacre. You'll find lots of his stuff online. ( even for free) If you don't know Kenton, Ellis, or Hank Levy i feed bad for you. Their writing inspired many a great modern big bands to form like Big Phat Band, New York Big Band, or paved the way for guys like Alan Baylock to write what he does. Again, go look em up. Man. It's like some of you simply refuse to expand your brains and open up to new ideas. I have middle school kids coming in to high school who know who the heck John Adams the composer is. He's still alive. Go look him up. Whoa, why the vehemence and over reaction? Stay out of your cups when you post; there's a problem. Familiarity and elitism are not the same thing. Not all programs in school are jazz heavy and the schools I went to definitely were not. Edited July 18, 2016 by xandandl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Over reacting? You're grumbling that you don't know the music. Have you looked up a composer you saw listed on corpsreps or simply moved along? But the composers being used are common to even high school students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 (edited) Over reacting? You're grumbling that you don't know the music. Have you looked up a composer you saw listed on corpsreps or simply moved along? But the composers being used are common to even high school students. This issue isn't what's being played, it's HOW it's being played. It's just so chop and bop. The activity, as a whole, is bringing about its own death. Edited July 19, 2016 by henry7184 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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