Does a show need a slow movement?

[MartinHorn]

You decide. Also if you know of any shows without one name them.

[TRtrumpet]

I doesent HAVE to have one. It adds depth to the show if there is one though. Ours didnt have one, but then again ours wasent anything real special... lol.

[Fortisimo]

Nahhhh, slow movements are only there out of convention. And perhaps bad taste. Lmao, I kid, I kid... some people like them..

[themainroo]

omg slow movements are so awesome

 

i loved ours i think that most of the shows ive seen or heard are fairly flat and unintresting

 

but just because a show has a slow movement doesnt make it intresting slow movements that are just a bunch of whole notes tied together at 60bpm is boring

[G'townPIT]

you gotta have some contrast in a show. it can't be all out blaring high c's the whole way. they help you appreciate those moments.

[MartinHorn]

  Quote

you gotta have some contrast in a show. it can't be all out blaring high c's the whole way. they help you appreciate those moments.

 

While true, it would be awesome to have a show that was nonstop intense.

[Fortisimo]

Well, that's not neccesarily the debate though; for example, if you listen to Suite of Assorted Catalcyms, you'll find that much of it is intense and fast, yet, there are slower, half time sections laced in for contrast and effect. There is one slow movement, but I only did tat out of convention. I like the slow sections that I have embedded in the faster parts, but i'm not real big on the whole concept of a slow movement. They are rarely entertaining, and often break the momentum of the show. However, for example, the minor canon before MVT 5 in SOAC and the fugue before the Conclusion are godo examples of embedded slow sections. They don't break the momentum of the piece, but they are entertaining, and they do serve as a sort of tempo break. It hink this tactic is much more effective, and is very underused. That's just my opinion though.

 

We have a lot of high C's in the Lord's Prayer... (which is one of our slow movements from this past season)... of course, we also had a double G in wild nights and a few high e's in ostinato.

[G'townPIT]

well darn, i guess we all should play assorted catacalsym's for our show next year

[MartinHorn]

Just remember to pay Fortisimo first or he'll kill you.

[Fortisimo]

Lol, as long as you swear alliengence to my anti-Key Poulan underground cult, your school may perform my show, SOAC, as many times as you all like.

[MartinHorn]

^be prepared to sacrifice virgins and livestock and to defecate on Key Poulan's porch.

[Fortisimo]

Exactly, but I would say it is worth it.

[twizzlaar]

our show had a "slow" part (october), so to speak. We played it at 150bpm, so it wasn't that slow, but it was good.

[Fortisimo]

Hmm.... that's not very slow...

[bariphonium]

It depends on what kind of a show you want. Do you want a fast-paced, high impact show? Then you probably wouldn't want a "ballad," so to speak. But shows that compete to win need to show that they can do it all. Sure, show the trumpets that can pull the high C, clearly, and show the clarinets and flutes that can run the breaks like it's nobody's business. But you'd also want to show that you can produce the most beautiful, powerfully moving sounds ever put on turf. Show that you can create chords so wonderful people are crying by the time you're done. Use the ballad to show that it's not all about the technical stuff, not all about the range or volume.

 

Think also about the visual aspect. Remember Reagan 03? The ballad was great (Linconshire), but what really hit me was their guard: massive flags (probably around 15' by 30'). I doubt they could've pulled those massive flags out at any tempo faster than a ballad. Ballads give the guard an excellent chance to do something creative, unique, and what normally wouldn't be possible at faster tempos. "But the band can't move much at slow tempos!" Why's that bad? If you're band just marched a 200 bpm, 2-minute long movement, they might like a slower pace. It gives them a chance to rest their lips for a bit, to catch their breath, and to recover for the next movement (which is, of course, 3 mintues long and goes 220).

 

So, no, ballads aren't mandatory, but they sure do help out. IMHO.

[Fortisimo]

I still contend that embedded slow sections make more sense muscially.

[Trumpeter07]

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I still contend that embedded slow sections make more sense muscially.

 

I must agree Universal Expression, our 04 show, had a slow section embeded in Jupiter, you know the slow part i'm talking about, but it just sounded better then a slow movement.

[Fortisimo]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

[Tx_state_euph_08]

slow movements are great for showing musicality in your band

...if ur band's really good at marching it shows here too coz its really easy to notice execution. As a plus, u have time to relax and prepare ur lips for the next 200+ mvt.

Also time to show off soloists

[Fortisimo]

Lmao, does anyone actually march at over 200 BPM?

[MartinHorn]

Actually from what I heard one time I think either the Bernstein Trilogy or Age of Anxiety did that.

 

Plus remember the Ice Cream Social? Mr. Hart kicked it up to 200 on the fundementals.

[mindfulmusician]

I figured that SOMEONE would mention Jupiter. I was about to ask if that would be an example. But, I guess I can see Fortissimo's point about stopping the momentum of the show. Perhaps embedded sections are the wave of the future. It seems that I see more and more shows that are one big, flowing movement with distinct sections instead of the conventional shows with multiple, independent movements. Anyway, I hate to do this, but I'm undecided on the subject. I'll try to meditate on this subject later.

 

- mm

[MartinHorn]

  Quote

I figured that SOMEONE would mention Jupiter.

 

  Quote

I must agree Universal Expression, our 04 show, had a slow section embeded in Jupiter, you know the slow part i'm talking about, but it just sounded better then a slow movement.

 

just thought I would point that out.

[mindfulmusician]

  MartinHorn said:

 

 

just thought I would point that out.

Yes, MartinHorn, I DID notice that someone mentioned Jupiter, which is why I used the word "would" instead of "should." I guess I should have quoted that section so people knew what I was referring to instead of assuming people knew what I was talking about...lol.

 

- mm

[MartinHorn]

  Quote

Yes, MartinHorn, I DID notice that someone mentioned Jupiter, which is why I used the word "would" instead of "should." I guess I should have quoted that section so people knew what I was referring to instead of assuming people knew what I was talking about...lol.

 

- mm

 

sorry misread