Medeabrass Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Star 93 was truly excellent from a performance perspective, but I think people give them a lot more design credit than they deserve.The drill was wonderful, but not more wonderful than any other Zingali show starting with Cadets 82. The music was well-played, but other corps have done obscure music and performed it well. (Spartacus, anyone?) The body moves were a bit too precious and could have been more graceful. Other corps have done this - Madison 83, we even had a 16-count segment in the drum solo where the entire horn-line + c.g. "danced" (for lack of a better term). One thing Star 93 accomplished was to change some people's ideas about the role of music in drum corps. Previously, the drill was written to complement the music. Star was one of the first to make the music secondary, if not entirely beside the point. This led to an endless stream of shows that were basically fast drill with random musical effects. So we can thank them for that. I disagree with the last point. Prime never arranged or wrote anything with a particular visual effect in mind in the way we've seen Cavaliers and others do recently. The visual sparseness was purely a reflection of the minimalist feeling of the music. In fact, I think this arrangement reflects the original more closely than most arrangements up to that point. This is what was groundbreaking in my opinion. How many times have drum corps omitted or amplified an extended part of a piece that was written at pianissimo. Prime held true to the original despite the chance that people might not appreciate it...I didn't hear any "random musical effects" that were not in the original and I don't think he jacked up the tempos either. It's not the "inspired by XYZ" approach corps use as an excuse to bend the music to the visual effect they want to create. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rut-roh Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Star 93 was truly excellent from a performance perspective, but I think people give them a lot more design credit than they deserve.The drill was wonderful, but not more wonderful than any other Zingali show starting with Cadets 82. Who's drill WAS?? You're talking about a once in a lifetime designer. His work with Garfield and then later Star was without equal for their time. And in 1993, who's drill really compared? The Cadets? That's about it, and even that is debatable (in my mind). The music was well-played, but other corps have done obscure music and performed it well. (Spartacus, anyone?) Not THIS well I would argue. And I had certainly not heard a corps attempt to stay as truthful to their obscure music as Star did with the first half of their show...corps were way too afraid of silence to take those kinds of risks. The body moves were a bit too precious and could have been more graceful. Other corps have done this - Madison 83, we even had a 16-count segment in the drum solo where the entire horn-line + c.g. "danced" (for lack of a better term). Nobody moved quite like what they were attempting. The 1987 Garfield Cadets came close...with a kind of choreography that resembled ballet more than anything that had been put on the field previously. Star took that concept and blew it apart. We may have seen similar, but nothing quite like it. Nearly ever moment of stillness was replaced with some sort of movement enhancement and nuance. Somehow I don't think a 16 count drum solo compares. One thing Star 93 accomplished was to change some people's ideas about the role of music in drum corps. Previously, the drill was written to complement the music. Star was one of the first to make the music secondary, if not entirely beside the point. This led to an endless stream of shows that were basically fast drill with random musical effects. So we can thank them for that. Totally and completely disagree 10000%. This was about as near a complimentary program in terms of audio/visual as I have ever witnessed. The movement matching the starkness of the music. The music staying truthful to the original. No unnecessary impacts added just to keep the audience clapping. No drill or brass 16th note runs from out of nowhere for the sake of throwing in some more difficulty. This show was uncompromising in terms of its committment to the musical/visual coordination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchromik Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 One thing Star 93 accomplished was to change some people's ideas about the role of music in drum corps. Previously, the drill was written to complement the music. Star was one of the first to make the music secondary, if not entirely beside the point. This led to an endless stream of shows that were basically fast drill with random musical effects. So we can thank them for that. Oh my! Not to gang up on you, but you seriously need to think about that one again. Listen to the original compositions and try to imagine how you would present them on the field. Listen to how true to the original Jimmer's arrangements were. It was always 'all about the music'. The entire look of the corps as well as every movement is rooted in those arrangements. Even when Zingali was around there was no way that any visual elements would be allowed to cause changes to the music, no way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_S Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 I viewed them with an open mind.. I think. Judging by your posting history, and your comments later in that same post... I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarContra4-85 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 Well it does in my eyes ^0^ now I am going to round up all these people and force Star '93 down their throats until they love and worship it, who's with me! That's the last thing that anyone from '93 Star would want anyone to do. It's would be like writing "Catcher in the Rye" and then having the "not another one" feeling when another psychotic killer is found with a copy in his fatigue jacket. The point of the work itself would be overlooked because of the result. It is what it is, a groundbreaking show in its time comprised of incredibly accurate musical arrangements and a visual package that complemented the music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchromik Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Spot on Mark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocketman Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Again, I can appreciate the production, but perhaps because of it's programming being so different, it wasn't my "cup of tea." That being said, I wouldn't wanted to have tried to pull that off in the 70's, we would have been killed even if the execution were on par. RM - 007 ampssuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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