From: drapeau@oglala.Stanford.EDU (George Drapeau)
Subject: Re: New poll: Favorite all-time drum solo?
Organization: Libraries and Information Resources, Stanford University
Date: 24 Jan 93 01:12:06

In article <93022.154715MHUGHES@MIAMIU.BITNET> <MHUGHES@MIAMIU.BITNET> writes:

   What is your favorite drum solo/percussion feature performed by a
   drum and bugle corps?  Apply any criteria you like to define *favorite*.
   My personal definition involves the quality and musicality of the
   writing for the percussion voices.  There are my top three, in no
   particular order:

     1984 Santa Clara Vanguard  (the *mp* solo)
     1992 Blue Knights  (*Billy The Kid* gunfight...amazing arrangement)
     1990 Santa Clara Vanguard  (*Carmen* solo...awesome ensemble writing
				 and voice leading through the drum line.
				 Bitching tenor line!!)

I can't really pick -- there are too many factors for me to consider
-- but I'll talk a little about solos or drum breaks that stick out in
my mind.

1983, Phantom Regiment (yeah, can you believe that?).  I loved this
show, musically.  I thought that the musical design of the show was
gorgeous, and played to PR's spirit perfectly (better, even, than '89
PR because in '83 they played  Tchaikowsky straight).  Anyway, the
opener was about a year long, but it worked.  It was sort of in three
movements, the way I remember it, with the middle movement being a
long drum break.  The drumming itself didn't seem incredibly great,
but the musical value added to the show was perfect, just perfect.  It
was a nice break from the opening movement, changed the mood of the
opener, and flowed into the closing of the opener very nicely.  So,
I'd have to say that 1983 PR drum break was one of my favorites
because of the general effect it added to the show.

By the way, I'd say that the other drum break later in that same show
(during "1812") was about equally great, for the same reason.  From a
drum solo writing perspective, the 1812 break was more of a
traditional solo and so was better in that sense, but overall I
thought that the great thing about PR's show was that it had a strong
thematic feeling to it, as strong as Garfield's show that year
(stronger, actually, since all the music was Tchaikowsky).

Sorry for the rambling.  Next:

1986 Santa Clara Vanguard, "Limoges".  It's not *really* a drum solo,
but a piece that features the percussion section.  I've talked about
this before, probably too much, but I think that this piece is one of
the tastiest, most musical pieces of drum corp percussion writing I've
ever heard.  Wow.  Pit: so good it makes me slobber (I wish I could've
played their parts).

Next: 1989 Cavaliers.  The drum break from "Images Diabolique" was an
excellent piece of music.  I have a few minor problems with the sound
of the drumline (it's not an especially pleasing sound in my opinion,
from the standpoint of tambre of the instruments), but I give a
ton-o-credit to the percussion for the new sounds they put into that
solo, and the overall freshness and creativity the solo showed.  The
thing that struck me the most about that break was the originality of
the music.  I mean, that solo spelled "innovation".  It was the first
really new drum writing style I've heard in the activity in a number
of years.  Oh yeah, and the horns backed 'em up pretty well, too.  And
the big 'ol drum heads were a great gimmick that worked for me.

Next:  well, I can't really do justice to some of these, but I have to
pay homage to early 80's Bridgemen, and 1980 SCV.  By the way, how
come nobody is mentioning 1978 SCV's drumline, supposedly one of the
greatest ever (11 snares?  Geez...)?

Next: some controversy?  Although I found the mid-80's BD lines
incredibly clean (4 high-drum titles in a row can't all be wrong), but
musically I can't say much for 'em.  Nothing but chops.  Sorry folks,
I just don't hear a whole lot of musicality in the writing of those
drum solos.  Sorry.  I really am.  So, I guess I could say that the
'86 BD solo was one of the best, but only from an execution
standpoint.  Sorry.

Next:  I know that people love the '84 SCV solo because of the
innovation.  I would like to put it on my list of best of all time,
except that I know Ralph wrote it pretty much to workaround some
incredible weaknesses in his line that year.  So maybe I'll give it
the award for ingenuity.  I know, I know, it *was* gorgeous musically,
sure, yeah, but I can't let go of the weak drum line thing.  If I knew
the '84 line were SCV's strongest ever, then I'd say the '84 solo were
right up there.  But, that's not reality.

Enough rambling.  Those are the solos that immediately come to mind.
Hey, anybody else remember the '83 Phantom?  Comments?

Oh yeah, that reminds me:  what about '83 SCV's drum solo?  I mean,
they choked in Finals, but it was innovative (the steel pans,
remember?).  Just thought I'd throw that in.

Later,

	George
--
______________________________________________________________________________
George D. Drapeau			Internet: drapeau@sioux.stanford.edu
Libraries and Information Resources
Stanford University
Newsgroups: rec.arts.marching.misc