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SCV's "Phantom of the Opera"


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How about bands playing the entire show note for note :sshh:

Oviedo, hm?

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Exactly my thoughts. Remember Rocky Point Holiday in 2003, Russian Christmas Music in 2005, The Firebird in 1997? They seriously failed to live up to their predecessors.

Well, RPH on 03 and The Firebird in 97 were not so good, because the approach the arrangers appeared to take was to take the very same work and make the piece be anything BUT a re-hash of the prior version. The anti-82/83 RPH and anti 88 Firebird if you will. Rather than simply arrange these great pieces, both were over-arranged (similar to BAC's version of the Overture to Candide this past summer), and didn't have nearly the same impact as the originals. RCM is another story though. The arrangements in 87 and 05 are very similar. The difference is the quality of the horn lines between years, and 87 had just that extra something special emotionally that 05 didn't have. 05 was very emotional, and I loved it - it just didn't hold up in comparison to 87.

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I think when a corps looks at music for their show they have to look at the original material and what they think they can get out of a good (hopefully) arrangement of any other versions they can find. I would not be opposed to SCV doing Phantom again, but I would like toknow if there are any new arrangements out there that they are looking at and what they intend to do with it to make it fresh and exciting again. without this, I would not be excited to hear them do it again. I think, in general, the cadets do this well. they take things that have been played before but most of the time bring in new ideas to make the tune fresh and new again.

Maybe they should do Phantom!! just kidding.

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You just have to do it right.

Isn't that the point? Phantom done beautifully would be beautiful irrespective of any comparison to past shows. That's why I don't get the notion of some that only new music is valid. Sure, it is. But who's to say that re-interpretation of an old favorite won't offer us a new favorite.

Yes, you can fall short re-interpreting the past. You can also fall short interpreting the new. New or old matters less than getting it right. I say Phantom of the Opera is too wonderful to remain on drum corps' shelf forever. I don't know if SCV is right for Phantom this year. I do think they should dust it off soon.

HH

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Well, RPH on 03 and The Firebird in 97 were not so good, because the approach the arrangers appeared to take was to take the very same work and make the piece be anything BUT a re-hash of the prior version. The anti-82/83 RPH and anti 88 Firebird if you will. Rather than simply arrange these great pieces, both were over-arranged (similar to BAC's version of the Overture to Candide this past summer), and didn't have nearly the same impact as the originals. RCM is another story though. The arrangements in 87 and 05 are very similar. The difference is the quality of the horn lines between years, and 87 had just that extra something special emotionally that 05 didn't have. 05 was very emotional, and I loved it - it just didn't hold up in comparison to 87.

as well as Madison '04, the "Anti-Malaga."

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Saw this on the news tonight:

Phantom of the Opera became "the longest running show on Broadway" today with 7400+ performances over 18 years.

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SCV redoing Phantom would be like Regiment revisting '89's "New World", or Madison redoing 1995....it sounds like a great idea, but it's never ever going to live up to the legendary status we give these shows.

Case in point: even though 2005 RCM rocked, in my mind, the definitve version is still 1987 SCV. Can't be helped, I suppose.

Rather than look backwards, what if SCV decided to go with a modern Broadway hit to revisit that era of showmanship? "Rent" nonwithstanding, there are several they could pick from.

Thinking about looking forward instead of backwards, I also feel it's important for corps to try to establish themselves with certain styles, and then try to use the design tricks of the day to move them along, rather than all trying to copy whatever is in vogue at the moment in one fell swoop.

Folks like Michael Gaines may be the big news now, but who's to say that someone else out there doesn't have the ideas and creativity to ultimately surpass it?

Couldn't you have a Spirit show that was more "Southern" while still playing to the new arranging/design tricks nowadays? And so on down the line...

I wonder if SCV's original foray in 2006 won't muddy the waters a bit in regard to people looking at the SCV "brand" and what it means. Certainly, the class and poignancy of SCV isn't going anywhere...I'm thinking more of how the corps comes across program-wise.

The Cavaliers have certainly availed themselves of this particular brand of "original" show design, but it was a evolution that you could see coming in the late 1990's. Will it work for SCV? Or are they attempting to "look back" and recapture the 97-03 feel? Or will it be a different animal altogether?

No offense intended with this post...just anxious for 06 to get here, I suppose. :)

Edited by bawker
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Couldn't you have a Spirit show that was more "Southern" while still playing to the new arranging/design tricks nowadays?

We'll see how that plays out since they are bringing back two Spirit classics..."Blues in the Night" and "Old Man River". The show should feel more southern than in years past...we'll see what they do with it. I for one am looking forward to a gentle return to the southern feel while keeping their feet firmly planted in the current atmosphere.

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