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Bring Back the Oldies


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I am all exploring new forms of music available to drum corps. However, there are decades of classic band literature and previous drum corps arrangements that seem to be "off limits" to this generation. For example, why has Claude T. Smith's "Festival Variations" only been performed once (87' Cavies)? Or John Barnes Chance's "Blue Lake Overture," or the countless literature by the late Francis McBeth? I am confident new arrangements can be made. What about classic drum corps literature? Just because we're "old heads," why do we have to wait 20+ years to hear "Medea" again, much less "To Take The Perilous Skies" or even "Phantom of the Opera." The music that made us love drum corps is nothing more than lore and legend to those performing today. Just an idea I think worth discussion.

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I am all exploring new forms of music available to drum corps. However, there are decades of classic band literature and previous drum corps arrangements that seem to be "off limits" to this generation. For example, why has Claude T. Smith's "Festival Variations" only been performed once (87' Cavies)? Or John Barnes Chance's "Blue Lake Overture," or the countless literature by the late Francis McBeth? I am confident new arrangements can be made. What about classic drum corps literature? Just because we're "old heads," why do we have to wait 20+ years to hear "Medea" again, much less "To Take The Perilous Skies" or even "Phantom of the Opera." The music that made us love drum corps is nothing more than lore and legend to those performing today. Just an idea I think worth discussion.

Convince a modern day designer, over a few drinks, that they can get GE out of it. Then you'll be solid.

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Whelp Cletus, jest put that ole VCR up on the console and play them old songs to your hearts content.

Me I like hearing new stuff that makes me go and do research and learn new things. Then every once in a while I check out some Senior corps stuff and reminisce.

Pssst. (the 70's are over) And yes I was there since 1970. I like modern drum corps.

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Agreed on the band literature, there's lots of great untouched stuff out there that could still be used in a modern setting.

As far as drum corps classics.............eh. I'm not too huge on a corps reusing something they made famous unless they make sure it's REALLY good. Phantom the past few years has tried reusing old stuff and it's not even gotten close to touching the original in most cases, talking stuff like Claire de Lune, Organ Symphony (energy great, arrangement, eh), American in Paris, Swan Lake, ect. If you're going to do it, do it really well or do a completely different take on it.

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Question :

I know a huge amount of Corps in the past have played a song or two from " Paint Your Wagon ". It was just on TV here where I live.

Would it be "Old or New" if a Corps did their Whole Show? " Paint Your Wagon " is more like an American Opera than a Broadway show. I do not think it has ever been done as a Total show.

Maybe Troopers would be best, But, anyone could do it.

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I am all exploring new forms of music available to drum corps. However, there are decades of classic band literature and previous drum corps arrangements that seem to be "off limits" to this generation. For example, why has Claude T. Smith's "Festival Variations" only been performed once (87' Cavies)? Or John Barnes Chance's "Blue Lake Overture," or the countless literature by the late Francis McBeth? I am confident new arrangements can be made. What about classic drum corps literature? Just because we're "old heads," why do we have to wait 20+ years to hear "Medea" again, much less "To Take The Perilous Skies" or even "Phantom of the Opera." The music that made us love drum corps is nothing more than lore and legend to those performing today. Just an idea I think worth discussion.

Genesis just did a full show treatment of Phantom of the Opera in 2015.

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Just because we're "old heads," why do we have to wait 20+ years to hear "Medea" again, much less "To Take The Perilous Skies" or even "Phantom of the Opera." The music that made us love drum corps is nothing more than lore and legend to those performing today. Just an idea I think worth discussion.

Check out the Cadets thread to see some heated discussions on their use of Pines of Rome this year. Cadets also used Medea in 2013. Blue Devils have sometimes pulled out pieces they have used in the past. Vanguard recently played Les Miserables. There are many examples of corps using popular pieces from the past.

Programming is a lot different than it was in prior decades. For example, Blue Devils have listed 9 different pieces of music as part of their program this year. If a piece of music is used again, it's likely to be a much smaller part of the program than before.

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Question :

I know a huge amount of Corps in the past have played a song or two from " Paint Your Wagon ". It was just on TV here where I live.

Would it be "Old or New" if a Corps did their Whole Show? " Paint Your Wagon " is more like an American Opera than a Broadway show. I do not think it has ever been done as a Total show.

Maybe Troopers would be best, But, anyone could do it.

Oh, goodness, you just flashed me back to my Cadet days. In 1970 our concert number was a changed mid-season from a Beatle's medley to a medley from "Paint Your Wagon" (or was the change the other way round? I forget). PYW was gosh awful, IMO. :cool:

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