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- Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps
- Subject: Re: Madison 93 show
- Message-ID: <92323.111159MHUGHES@MIAMIU.BITNET>
- From: <MHUGHES@MIAMIU.BITNET>
- Date: Wednesday, 18 Nov 1992 11:11:59 EST
- References: <1992Nov17.154618.3599@medtron.medtronic.com>
- Organization: Miami University - Academic Computer Service
- Lines: 78
-
- Mike Hughes (that's me :) said:
-
- >Yes, there is something to be said for history and the repetition and
- >variation on it.....the trouble is that it's damn near the ONLY thing that
- >Madison is capable of these days. Just look at the past few years:
- >
- > 1986 - Gershwin music from the 1970s regurgutated
- > 1987 - (I forgot this one...sorry)
- > 1988 - Maleguena regurgitated for the umpteenth time
- > 1989 - Slaughter on 10th Avenue regurgitated for the umpteenth+1 time e
- > 1990 - an original show that I actually liked (but noone else did)
- > 1991 - City of Angels...an excellent production
- > 1992 - City of Angels...an excellent production (yawn)
- > 1993 - excerpts from the 1981, 1983 and 1990 shows
- >
- > C'mon!!!!!!!!!! How can you defend this lack of musical creativity?
- > Would you defend the corps if they did the same drill moves year after
- > year? Used the same guard uniforms and equipment? Etc, etc, etc....
- >
-
- In article <1992Nov17.154618.3599@medtron.medtronic.com>,
- ck10322@china.medtronic.com (Cameron Kaszas) says:
- >
- >I'll defend it!
- >
- >Gershwin music was Rhapsody In Blue. Now this is quite a long piece in
- >its original. In 1986 they took TOTALLY different segments (OK a couple
- >of "remembrance" chords were thrown in occassionally). However, other
- >than the title, this was a new peice for them. Same with Slaughter.
- >Again, they kept the company front push at the end, but this piece
- >had a totally different, much lighter feel. Now, Malaguena had a
- >lot more repetition to the '80-81 versions (although these were both
- >severe departures from the '78 version).
-
- But they were the SAME PIECES OF MUSIC...only different arrangements. Why
- couldn't the design staff look for NEW challenges for the kids in terms of
- fresh music? I think the best thing Madison started getting into was the
- Don Ellis stuff in the mid 1980s....Strawberry Soup, etc. Why stop there?
- It was one of my favorite Madison pieces in recent years. There is tons of
- great Ellis music out there...why not explore it a little?
-
- >Furthermore, productions done in the '80/90s look totally different than
- >anything fielded in the '70s. The integration between the drill and music
- >just wasn't there back then like it is today. Not only does this mandate
- >an entirely new visual production, but new arrangements that are more
- >easily enterpreted in the new "style" of drum corps (the guard has to be
- >able to dance to it, act to it, etc.)
-
- I agree with this, so you must see my point. We have seen far more variety
- and expansion from Madison in the visual caption than in any other, and you
- defend this (which you should). Why must they lag behind in musical variety
- by continually pulling out old charts, making a change here or there? Why
- not explore new music that is in a style that fits in with Madison's
- tradition?
-
- >I would submit that Madison changes "style" from year to year more than
- >most corps, even though they may bring back "melodies" more often.
-
- On the surface, I can't see the reasoning for this statement. Please explain?
-
- >Boy, those Blue Devils have sure been innovators haven't they?!
- >Same style year after year. I love it, don't get me wrong, but it seems
- >to me that their staff has a formula that works and they are comfortable
- >with, and even though they do different songs, they can sound remarkably
- >similar year after year after year after year after .....
-
- IMHO, the Blue Devils are nearly as guilty of the practice of pulling out old
- charts as is Madison. Understand me, the last thing I'm suggesting is that
- Madison change their style....there is only one Madsion Scouts, and there is
- a style of drum corps which is uniquely identified as Madison. I'm
- just saying....enough already! WE'VE HEARD THIS ALL BEFORE. DO SOME NEW
- MUSIC.
-
- The Cadets have a unique identity. So does Star. And Crossmen. (etc, etc..)
- Yet every year we get new music from them (with very few exceptions). Why
- can't Madison exercise the same *musical freedom*?
-
- Respectfully, Mike Hughes
-