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Cadets 2017


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28 minutes ago, whitedawn said:

Nah, I think it's because to me the show doesn't feel "Mass-like." It feels like a religious show that misses the entire subversive point of Mass, which has very little to do with religion and more to do with anti-establishmentarianism, protesting wars, experimenting with the clash of musical genres (to ... widely varying degrees of success), and reflecting a mirror back at late 60s-early 70s America.

When we get to something that is even close to being on-point (Dona Nobis Pacem), we play it WAY too fast for it to land and I feel like it doesn't work. It should be utterly destructive and catastrophic. The Celebrant actually destroys the sacrament in the score. We play it because we need a swing section. Just my opinion.

Check out this Dona Nobis Pacem (should autoplay at 1:25):

 

Of course choices are made of what aspects of a 2 hour production should be addressed in an 11 minute football field performance. What you cite is accurate but not necessarily appropriate for an audience going to a drum corps contest rather than a high brow concert hall such as Lincoln Center. The times and culture have also changed over the decades. What was over the top in Bernstein's times might not be as poignant in a secularistic, narcissistic, often defensive society in which we live today. A design staff has to apply the show to the sheets and the audience of judges, donors, and grandstanders of all ages.

If you feel this is not an appropriate application of the production, I would presume you disdain the 1983 show as well (??).

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Glad they're not doing the Z-pull.  I want them to find another classic ending that they'll need to retire in 20+ years.

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1 hour ago, Eleran said:

I think they should end it with every Cadet racing willy-nilly for the exit, cutting off people and nearly running them down.  Isn't that what happens in the parking lot after every Mass?

That's why a few leave right after communion, unless it's the Saturday afternoon Mass and they want to beat the crowd to the local restaurant.

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1 minute ago, Ghost said:

That's why a few leave right after communion, unless it's the Saturday afternoon Mass and they want to beat the crowd to the local restaurant.

iHop or Denny's lol...

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They can certainly end it with a majestic musical visual delight (which is really an extension of what they have),  followed by "mass is over, go in peace". Then they can just march off two by two. A nod to the quiet but brilliant 1987 subtle ending. Now if we could keep GH from having prop signs pointing to Sunday brunch after church, we'll be ok!

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36 minutes ago, 2000Cadet said:

iHop or Denny's lol...

 Not at several Parishes in SW Florida. Most Sundays the daily Mass collection is a jawdropping $50,000 to 60,000 collected in the pews alone in that one day of service. Those cats arn't eating at " IHop", or " Denny's ", thats for sure... lol!

Edited by BRASSO
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2 hours ago, xandandl said:

 What you cite is accurate but not necessarily appropriate for an audience going to a drum corps contest rather than a high brow concert hall such as Lincoln Center.

Why not? Corps have used orchestral music programatically for decades.

 

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What was over the top in Bernstein's times might not be as poignant in a secularistic, narcissistic, often defensive society in which we live today.

Which is why it would have been interesting to re-frame the Mass in some modern way.

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A design staff has to apply the show to the sheets and the audience of judges, donors, and grandstanders of all ages.

What does this have to do with my opinion about the show?

 

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If you feel this is not an appropriate application of the production, I would presume you disdain the 1983 show as well (??).

The difference is that the 1983 show was, "Hey this music from Mass is cool and would work well on the field." I mean, "God Said" is a drum solo with a soprano feature, not a satire about someone losing faith in institutions.

The 2017 show is, "Hey, lets do the Mass, complete with choir robes and stained glass."

The music works -- of course it does -- Bernstein only had a few clunkers that wouldn't work.

In my opinion, programming the Mass around music from the Mass should look a little different. That's all.

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