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Bring Back the Oldies


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Look, I can see you have having trouble. You did mention songs from the past. You mentioned 3 of them here, but none of them were the OP's songs. Had you stayed on the topic and discussed HIS songs he wrote in his post, commented on those songs of his, or the composer he brought up, you'd be ok. But you drifted into bringing up YOUR 3 songs, and commented on how todays performers might think of these songs. But none of this reply had anything at all to do with any of my commentary, nor has anything to do with the named specific songs and the named specific composer from the OP. If you want to start a different thread on what you believe todays marchers think of YOUR 3 songs cited ( Medea, Tame the Perilous Skies, Phantom of the Opera ) then start one. But I think I'll take a pass on commenting anymore on this thread as you are going down a rabbit hole with commentary unconnected to the OP's songs, and I see no further reason i should go down that rabbit hole with you with commentary that is wholly unconnected to the OP 's songs and composers he listed for us for discussion and consideration ( lol!)

lol..i think youre not understanding..I did not mention those songs at all. Medea, tame an Pof O..they did..look back at least

That entire paragraph was cut and pasted from the OP. I never brought up at any time any specific songs either..not that it matters..

Silly...lol

Edited by GUARDLING
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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.

I too would enjoy hearing new songs played such as these. I'm not that familiar with them as you are, but I tend to like new things never played before, rather than a redo of the classics, so these you cite seem intriguing to me. That said, Corps today do lots of redo of themes ( or like kind themes ) and do rewrite arrangements of song classics. From a quick glance of the 2016 musical programming list with the Corps and their selections, some have been played before. Some songs, with this season's playing, will have now been played as much as a dozen or more times before by Drum Corps. However, they all were rewrites, and all were thus fresh from that standpoint anyway when heard in these previous seasons and with all the previous Corps that played the song, or did the theme again. But yes, I do agree with you that there is lots of untapped music out there, from lots of composers, that DCI Corps, for one reason or another, ( copyrights ? ) has endeavored to not pursue thus far.

Edited by BRASSO
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I too would enjoy hearing new songs played such as these. I'm not that familiar with them as you are, but I tend to like new things never played before, rather than a redo of the classics, so these you cite seem intriguing to me. That said, Corps today do lots of redo of themes and rewrite arrangements of classics and we see many selections in the 2016 musical programming list with the Corps out with their selections, and some have been played before. Some songs this season will have now been played as much as a dozen or more times before too by Drum Corps. However, they all were rewrites, and all were thus fresh from that standpoint anyway. But yes, I do agree with you that there is lots of untapped music out there, from lots of composers, that DCI Corps, for one reason or another, ( copyrights ? ) has endeavored to not pursue thus far.

I would also agree with you here..BUT I do find it interesting that you cut and pasted right where I said I didnt say this they did yet you debated me on it...lol...it's all good Brasso

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.

Moving on :bigsmile:

Edited by GUARDLING
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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.

On this second thought process of yours, " Phantom of the Opera" is being played this season In competition, was played last season, and was played the season before that, and the season before that, by DCI Corps. This will be 4 years in a row we'll hear it played in DCI in competitions. How many times in a row do you want to hear it played ? And by how many different Corps ? The song" Medea " will be played this season in DCI by a DCI Corps too, and was played as recently in 2013 by the Cadets. The song " Tame the Perilous Skies " will be played this season by the Minnesota Brass at DCI ( and DCA shows ) and was played by Cadets2 last season in DCA competition and DCI exhibition performances. Star of Indiana Reunion Corps, as well as the theatre Show " BLAST! " also both played " Medea ", lest we forget. So the classics DO come back... and this season's competing DCI Corps, even at the elite level, will be playing some familiar oldie classics beyond these 3 here you cite here as well in DCI competitions, lameisrob. So sit back and enjoy. DCI ( and DCA ) will continue this season as well to be full with the playing of songs that have been played before by Drum Corps. And good grief we have not even mentioned the many encore song classics the Corps will play at show retreats, nor any of the dozens of Alumni and Reunion Corps that will be out and about this season playing the classics as well for us.

Edited by BRASSO
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... had I not kept an open mind to the possibilities for enjoyment inherent in any performance, the only result would have that of robbing myself of something which later gave me great pleasure. And I won't even go into the maxim "Variety is the spice of life"....

This is so enlightening; my mind is so open now to the pleasures of all musical arrangement treatments!!! Here is yet another pleasure in the realm of variety is the spice of life:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj7pDNDuoJ0

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This is so enlightening; my mind is so open now to the pleasures of all musical arrangement treatments!!! Here is yet another pleasure in the realm of variety is the spice of life:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj7pDNDuoJ0

Such is the result of my obvious affinity with the soapbox. Yet again I fail to heed my father's wisdom...

Kind, mannered, and civilly-extended rebuke received and so noted.

Edited by HornTeacher
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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.

And not always to the best ends. Early 2000's BD members refer to "Channel 0.5 Suite", and do not do so incorrectly.

Bringing back the past isn't always the best thing to do if you aren't going to do it justice.

Edited by jsd
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And not always to the best ends. Early 2000's BD members refer to "Channel 0.5 Suite", and do not do so incorrectly.

Bringing back the past isn't always the best thing to do if you aren't going to do it justice.

There ya go ! Thats was my point exactly. This can mean very different things to different people. Doing it justice doesnt have to mean the same, doesnt have to mean different BUT if one has an expectation either way. sometimes and I repeat SOMETIMES bringing something back can be disappointing for the same people who want to see things come back, in one form or another.

This of course can be said about anything thats been done before.

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