saxfreq1128 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I understand and that is where I have some issues. Some times we alter pieces so much to fit the preconceived parameters of a show it loses most of original meaning. Not mention the arrogance of a designer who looks at a Stravinsky piece and decides certain melodies or sections are not important. Or decides to overlap two completely different melodies. Just because you have the chops and can do it, doesn't mean you should. Sometimes it seems we try and fit a square peg into a round hole. And we can make it fit by changing the square peg (or the hole), but maybe we should just be looking for a round peg. I don't think they're looking at certain melodies and saying they're objectively not important -- I think they're looking at their timing (11 minutes), their ensemble (not an orchestra), their theme (whatever it is that year), the other music they're playing, and the fact that it's a competitive activity, and making the choices that suit *their* needs and *their* ideas. In much modern music, this is what people do. Perfect example: Max Richter's "Recomposed": https://youtu.be/DLDvbnK_Sqk Sound familiar? Santa Clara Vanguard uses it this year -- it's Vivaldi, via Max Richter. Richter was a perfect choice for a drum corps because his music does what drum corps arrangements do: takes original material and makes it his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfirwin3 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 It is impossible to create the best total arrangement of melody, counter-melody, rhythm, color and harmony when your hornline only plays for 6 minutes. Hornlines should be playing upwards of 10:00 in an 11:30 show. This is an ensemble activity. It's even more alarming when some corps are playing 9 pieces this year. How the heck are you going to sustain melody through 9 pieces when you are only playing for 6 minutes? No wonders the arrangements are all chop and bop with little build up, little phrasing, and little sustained melody. Bottom line, horn books, in general, are designed to play the sheets and score well. They are not designed to entertain the audience. Such a shame.Makes perfect sense in the council of your own mind (that's a flashy way of saying... "that's your opinion").But your assertions are fairly indefensible on a number of levels... chief among them being the 'ensemble' claim. The term ensemble implies the integration of the parts, not the dominance of one section. The second biggest issue is your claim about entertainment value with the audience. You are exporting and projecting your preferences to the whole if the audience in order to reach your conclusion. You can do that if you wish, but you can't defend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAvery Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I don't think they're looking at certain melodies and saying they're objectively not important -- I think they're looking at their timing (11 minutes), their ensemble (not an orchestra), their theme (whatever it is that year), the other music they're playing, and the fact that it's a competitive activity, and making the choices that suit *their* needs and *their* ideas. In much modern music, this is what people do. Perfect example: Max Richter's "Recomposed": https://youtu.be/DLDvbnK_Sqk Sound familiar? Santa Clara Vanguard uses it this year -- it's Vivaldi, via Max Richter. Richter was a perfect choice for a drum corps because his music does what drum corps arrangements do: takes original material and makes it his own. Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 This has been talked about since Star '93 and we all know they won brass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruckner8 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I am disappointed. To me, DCI just isn't as exciting as it used to be. That's it at the end of the day, and I attribute a lot of that (for me personally) to the reduced length that hornlines play. It's my opinion that all the dancing, prancing and body movements look ridiculous. It's hokey. It's there to try to detract from the fact that they just aren't playing, or moving while they are playing like they used to. Look, I like Bluecoats' show for what it is. I love Vanguard's show. I like Madison's show. Crossmen's guard integration is wonderful, and it's enough to make me like their show. It is what it is and I find things in today's drum corps to enjoy. But, at the end of the day let's not kid ourselves that a hornline playing 5 minutes isn't somehow diminishing the product. Ya had me until you said 'they just aren't playing, or moving while they are playing like they used to.' That is do far off the rails that I can't take anything else you say seriously. I marched SCV in 1984. I teach now. I can assure you the members of today march and play way more often, and with much higher demand than we ever did. That includes the legendary Zingali drills (blasphemy, I know!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThirdValvesAreForWimps Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Maybe it's not so much how little brass lines play in modern drum corps but more of the brass being used for effect rather than a central focus of the performance. This is not a crack on the Bluecoats but the only thing I ever timed in their 2016 performance was how long it took from the first hand clap from when the percussion started to the first time a brass instrument is heard -- an appallingly long 1:20! I'm sorry but that's too long. The activity is called drum and bugle corps not choreography and drum machine corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamahoNow Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Maybe it's not so much how little brass lines play in modern drum corps but more of the brass being used for effect rather than a central focus of the performance. This is not a crack on the Bluecoats but the only thing I ever timed in their 2016 performance was how long it took from the first hand clap from when the percussion started to the first time a brass instrument is heard -- an appallingly long 1:20! I'm sorry but that's too long. The activity is called drum and bugle corps not choreography and drum machine corps. The FE is amazing during this section. And it appears that the audience enjoys this section as well. Seems that having both parts of the percussion section opening a Drum and Bugle Show is fine, as would be opening with the Brass. There is plenty of Brass displayed throughout the program. You might have programmed this differently, but the current show seems to be doing fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jast45 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Maybe it's not so much how little brass lines play in modern drum corps but more of the brass being used for effect rather than a central focus of the performance. This is not a crack on the Bluecoats but the only thing I ever timed in their 2016 performance was how long it took from the first hand clap from when the percussion started to the first time a brass instrument is heard -- an appallingly long 1:20! I'm sorry but that's too long. The activity is called drum and bugle corps not choreography and drum machine corps. I also have to say that I think their opener is a part of their title-Downside Up-it has taken some of our assumptions of a show-like an opener with that first big hit--and turned it around--a Percussion opener and a slow build to the hit--keeps the audience a little off balance as to what is going to happen since it is different than most openings get. Just my opinion on what they may be trying to do as far as their show title--thwart our expectations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Maybe it's not so much how little brass lines play in modern drum corps but more of the brass being used for effect rather than a central focus of the performance. This is not a crack on the Bluecoats but the only thing I ever timed in their 2016 performance was how long it took from the first hand clap from when the percussion started to the first time a brass instrument is heard -- an appallingly long 1:20! I'm sorry but that's too long. The activity is called drum and bugle corps not choreography and drum machine corps. Isn't most of that 1:20 the pre-show? Technically the show hasn't started yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Makes perfect sense in the council of your own mind (that's a flashy way of saying... "that's your opinion"). But your assertions are fairly indefensible on a number of levels... chief among them being the 'ensemble' claim. The term ensemble implies the integration of the parts, not the dominance of one section. The second biggest issue is your claim about entertainment value with the audience. You are exporting and projecting your preferences to the whole if the audience in order to reach your conclusion. You can do that if you wish, but you can't defend it. Yeah, you can stop being condescending. It's a discussion board. Everything one says on here is one's opinion unless it is fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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