Lance Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 3 hours ago, jjeffeory said: Klesch is probably my favorite from the current active batch, as he just knows how to perfectly voice parts to fit a brass choir. Every note is clear and with purpose. This is apparently a hard thing to do because not every arranger achieves the level of clarity that Klesch achieves. he understands how Bb overtones work like Downey and Prime understood them for G in the 80s and 90s it's the thing that's hardest for amateurs like me, and he pulls it off with any genre he's given. it's crazy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilme861 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 For me, 2008 was the best arrangement he did. Putting all those closers into one show and making it all work still has me wondering how he did it. I remember hearing in the preseason from my roommate about the show music being 13 (!!!!) endings all put into one show and just thinking how can this ever work well. As usual, it worked. Still mad school got in the way of me being able to march that one... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfirwin3 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 I still put Downey at the absolute top... Even though I love the funky stuff that Thrower has been putting out lately. I would classify Klesch as... if nothing else... 'clever'. He knows how to use devices to generate exciting, clean runs and patterns. Certainly brilliant. But Downey's body of work is just mean. His arrangements are like a Ferrari in the car show room at less than 10 miles. You can see and feel the power and speed even when it's standing still. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tad_MMA Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 His history is astounding. He went to the Cadets as a bass drummer ("I was the only one who could read music.") From that to '83 drum major to '84 staff (I think a marching tech...). In 1985, Garfield changed their show at least twice before deciding on A Bernstein Portrait. The problem was that Jim Prime's replacement (I might butcher the name) Matt Kampransky got cold feet and gave them no music. So, in MARCH (while SCV, BD and Madison had completed shows and all with repeated tunes), GH begged MK ("I'm gonna ask you one last time..."), and he reluctantly agreed. What was his first chart? "Jeremiah." Are you kidding me? And when they were trying to spiff up the ending (192 bmp), he couldn't quite find the right tone to bridge the Candide overture and the Glitter and Be Gay chart. Program coordinator M. Cesario simply told him, "Opera Buffo!" and there it was. The writing of that last 30 seconds is incredible He also attributed the genius of George Zingali's drill writing. In Klesch's words, GZ "loved the music," so Michael had to ensure that if he was to write a passage featuring a certain voice, he knew that GZ had to stage that voice properly, so 1985 was probably the most symbiotic design out there. And I'm told that ending drill is courtesy of Marc Sylvester. (Perhaps that explains the shift from the Z-pull to an S-pull. ) When the 1985 scores were announced, MK was hanging w/ J. Prime, his mentor. That's a story in itself. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 14 minutes ago, Tad_MMA said: His history is astounding. He went to the Cadets as a bass drummer ("I was the only one who could read music.") From that to '83 drum major to '84 staff (I think a marching tech...). In 1985, Garfield changed their show at least twice before deciding on A Bernstein Portrait. The problem was that Jim Prime's replacement (I might butcher the name) Matt Kampransky got cold feet and gave them no music. So, in MARCH (while SCV, BD and Madison had completed shows and all with repeated tunes), GH begged MK ("I'm gonna ask you one last time..."), and he reluctantly agreed. What was his first chart? "Jeremiah." Are you kidding me? And when they were trying to spiff up the ending (192 bmp), he couldn't quite find the right tone to bridge the Candide overture and the Glitter and Be Gay chart. Program coordinator M. Cesario simply told him, "Opera Buffo!" and there it was. The writing of that last 30 seconds is incredible He also attributed the genius of George Zingali's drill writing. In Klesch's words, GZ "loved the music," so Michael had to ensure that if he was to write a passage featuring a certain voice, he knew that GZ had to stage that voice properly, so 1985 was probably the most symbiotic design out there. And I'm told that ending drill is courtesy of Marc Sylvester. (Perhaps that explains the shift from the Z-pull to an S-pull. ) When the 1985 scores were announced, MK was hanging w/ J. Prime, his mentor. That's a story in itself. Great story. I was worried at that time (1985). I didn't know the drama behind the scenes, but I knew Jim Prime Jr. had been hired by Star of Indiana to write their book. HIs books for Garfield in 82, 83, 84 are outstanding. How would Garfield replace his talent. Michael stepped in when the other guy didn't work out and ultimately put together a killer brass book. Garfield 85 still remains one of my favorites. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdaddy Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Doug Thrower also benefits from extremely competent percussion and (especially) electronics design. Thrower's arrangements really complement the overall aesthetic. I'm not sure that Klesch has been given that benefit. (not an indictment of either, just a thought) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waliman4444 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 20 hours ago, Liahona said: Klesch is great and all but he is not the only one over the years who has given us marvelous brass arrangements...in no particular order... Jay Bocook, Wayne Downey, Scott Boerma, Jim Ott(RIP), Gail Royer(RIP),Jim Wren, Key Poulan, Richard Saucedo, J.D. Shaw, Doug Thrower, Brad Kerr Green, Will Pitts, Ryan George, Michael Martin, Chuck Naffier, Robert W Smith, Andrew Markworth, Frank Dorritie, Timothy Salzman, Ken Norman, Emil Pavlik, Frank Williams, Larry Kerchner, Sal Ferrera, James Wedge, James Elvord, Jim Prime Jr., Sandra Opie, Truman Crawford, Jack Meehan excellent choices..would you also include Hy Dreitzer on your list? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Scott Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 20 hours ago, Liahona said: Klesch is great and all but he is not the only one over the years who has given us marvelous brass arrangements...in no particular order... Jay Bocook, Wayne Downey, Scott Boerma, Jim Ott(RIP), Gail Royer(RIP),Jim Wren, Key Poulan, Richard Saucedo, J.D. Shaw, Doug Thrower, Brad Kerr Green, Will Pitts, Ryan George, Michael Martin, Chuck Naffier, Robert W Smith, Andrew Markworth, Frank Dorritie, Timothy Salzman, Ken Norman, Emil Pavlik, Frank Williams, Larry Kerchner, Sal Ferrera, James Wedge, James Elvord, Jim Prime Jr., Sandra Opie, Truman Crawford, Jack Meehan I agree with all of these and would include Ray Baumgardt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Dave Scott said: I agree with all of these and would include Ray Baumgardt. Definitely!!! I'm going to add now.. Quote Baumgardt arranged “Alice in Wonderland” for the Madison Scouts as well as the Cavaliers’ groundbreaking 1971 “Circus Show.” Throughout his drum corps career, Baumgardt created some of the most memorable drum corps arrangements of all time including “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” “McArthur Park,” “The Way We Were,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Ballet in Brass” and “Brian’s Song.” Also working with the Spirit of Atlanta, Cavaliers, Troopers, 27th Lancers, Colts, Capitolaires and the Erie Thunderbirds Senior Corps, his work influenced an entirely new generation of drum corps arrangers. ref: http://www.madisonscoutslive.com/mainsite/2010/04/ray-baumgardt-to-be-inducted-into-the-dci-hall-of-fame/ Edited June 18, 2017 by Liahona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tad_MMA Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 23 minutes ago, jwillis35 said: Great story. I was worried at that time (1985). I didn't know the drama behind the scenes, but I knew Jim Prime Jr. had been hired by Star of Indiana to write their book. HIs books for Garfield in 82, 83, 84 are outstanding. How would Garfield replace his talent. Michael stepped in when the other guy didn't work out and ultimately put together a killer brass book. Garfield 85 still remains one of my favorites. In one regard, Zingali was quoted that the 1985 corps was the most talented with which he'd ever worked, so there's that. Also, the Cadets put out a 20-year threepeat anniversary 2-disc set. One discussion is Hopkins and Cesario; the other is Hopkins, Klesch, T. Hannum, B. Morrison, M. Twiggs, M. Sylvester. It's as good as any Blu-ray extras about the "making of..." I hope they still sell it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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