4 r The evolution of e t p a musical and h C visual design by Dr. Rosalie Sward All of the corps that came on the scene early 1981; Michael J. Cahill’s article, “A Capsule appreciate it if you would report to me any and have disappeared, all of the corps that History of the Drum and Bugle Corps,” which corrections or additions that you feel should be arrived early and still remain, and all of the appeared in the October, 1982, issue of the made in conjunction with my portion of this corps that came later, had something special Instrumentalist magazine, from which I derived book and, at a later, date I may be able to make that they contributed to the drum and bugle my overview and much of the early history of those available. Please e-mail me at corps activity. It is called evolution. the activity; and Brian Tolzmann’s Drum Corps [email protected]. To fully comprehend the evolution of music Information Archives, which supplied the corps Finally, please note that when individual in the drum and bugle corps activity, one must repertoires that I did not have. corps repertoires are listed, there is often just a also consider the changes in the visual area of A number of other resources and sampling of the program for that year. If the the activity that were taking place knowledgeable people have provided important statement says “their program included . .” simultaneously, as they did not exist information. These will be listed at the end of that means that the listed selections may be independently. Each aspect dictated its needs this chapter. just part of the program. to the other and, as time passed, they became In covering over 70 years of history, it is Influences on the evolution of music more and more intertwined. impossible to list everything that took place, in drum and bugle corps When writing a historical account such as both in terms of research availability and The most important factors which this, one does not try to reinvent the wheel, but because of space limitations. Therefore, I have influenced the evolution of music in drum rather, begins with the work that has already tried to mention those events that most often corps were: been done. My research began with three came to my attention, either through the 1) Social culture of the times; 2) political valuable resources -- Jodeen Popp’s very printed page, others’ accounts of their environment of the times, including war and thorough historical volume, “Competitive experiences and/or knowledge, or my own patriotism; 3) function/purpose of the drum and Drum Corps, There and Then . To Here and observations and memory. bugle corps; 4) evolution and improvement of Now,” which traced the history of the activity In trying to coordinate events with so many the bugle and additions to the percussion through 1979, with supplements in 1980 and dates, there are sure to be errors. So, I would section; 5) the influx of professional instructors, 97 asHeville sal, Asheville, NC (1939 Legion, Chicago, IL). eeviN v. HamiltON sal, Bordentown, NJ (1951, Miami, FL). James F. O’Neil POst, NH (1940). Photo from the collection of Robert Zinko/American Legion archives. Photo from the collection of Robert Zinko/American Legion archives. Photo from the collection of Robert Zinko/American Legion archives. arrangers, trained musicians and creative sponsor flag bearer and a guard or two carrying of veteran’s organizations. These corps tested designers into the activity and their impetus to rifles or sidearms. Their role was to march the possibilities for an independent drum and create change; 6) the tick system vs. the around the field with the corps and execute one bugle corps activity and, after several years of absence of the tick system, i.e., the build-up present-arms at the appropriate time during the experimentation with different organizational system; 7) other rules and restrictions as well as “color presentation.” The term “color guard” models, Drum Corps International (DCI) was the design of the judging sheets; 8) improved meant a guard to salute and protect the colors, founded in October, 1971 by a coalition of drum musicality; 9) increasing concern that music i.e. the American flag. Their function would and bugle corps as the first independent support the drill and vice versa; and 10) change drastically over the years. association and 1972 was the first season of changing time limits of a show. After World War II, the activity flourished, DCI-sponsored shows. An overview of the activity reflecting an expansion of membership within DCI remains the junior corps activity’s After World War I, returning veterans the veteran’s organizations and, in many governing body today, at the time this history formed drum and bugle corps to function first neighborhoods, the need for an activity to keep book is being completed. as a way to keep the veterans involved in a “the kids off the street.” During the period The relationship between drum and patriotic display of camaraderie and later as a from the 1930s into the 1960s, the justification bugle corps and marching bands youth activity. These early corps were for drum and bugle corps often was, “Give a kid It has always been an irritation to drum and primarily parade units that grew out of local a horn to blow and he won’t blow a safe.” bugle corps members and fans to have someone Boy Scout troops and church organizations During this era, corps gradually shifted away refer to a drum and bugle corps as a marching such as the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization), from parades and toward field shows. Under band. Drum and bugle corps is not a marching and YMCA and with ties to the VFW (Veterans the sponsorship of the VFW and American band. There are similarities -- they both play of Foreign Wars) or the American Legion. Legion, especially on the East Coast and in the music, wear uniforms and they march, but These early drum and bugle corps played Midwest, numerous field competitions there are also many differences. patriotic/military music with an emphasis on developed, complete with marching drills and Because of the highly-competitive nature of marches and marching, with the drums and military pageantry. the drum and bugle corps activity, bugles merely providing the tempo. Later, they The American Legion actually started their performances generally have tended to be more developed into musical units where enthusiasm senior corps competitions in 1921 and added innovative, precise and entertaining than those and esprit de corps surpassed artistic junior corps in 1937. The first senior VFW of marching bands. Drum and bugle corps of considerations of musicianship and Nationals was held in 1928, while the first the 21st Century could be considered showmanship. junior VFW Nationals took place in 1936. “professional marching groups” or the Before World War I, the straight Army-type Corps would start on the left end zone of the “aristocracy of marching music.” bugle was standard. Until the mid-1940s, football field and end their show 11-14 minutes The individual drum and bugle corps has most units played only soprano bugles later by crossing the right end zone. They were nearly always existed as a private organization. without rotaries or pistons. These instruments judged on a negative point system, beginning Historically, drum and bugle corps have used were primitive and allowed only a few notes to with a perfect score and subtracting points soprano, alto, baritone and contra varieties of be played. Twelve to 16 horns were normal in (called ticks) with each error in execution. bell-front bugles, while marching bands have a corps. Scoring categories reflected the activity’s used concert band instruments and those The members usually had little or no association with the military organizations, instruments (i.e., Sousaphones) made strictly experience in playing a brass instrument and including captions for inspection of uniforms for marching band. learned when they joined a corps. Most and the presentation of colors, and penalties Drum and bugle corps have never used instructors could barely read or write musical were given for such offenses as dropped woodwinds or electronics. The state of the art notation themselves, let alone teach this to the equipment and not playing. percussion in the drum and bugle corps activity members of their corps. Thus, most In the late 1960s, numerous drum corps has always been its most unique quality and has arrangements were learned by “rote.” directors and fans became increasingly remained ahead of and led the way for Even in the early 1960s, horn lines were still dissatisfied with this system. The affiliation percussion in marching bands. Drum and being taught by people who had little musical with the veteran’s organizations and the bugle corps color guards also had a strong training in brass and percussion techniques. military nature of shows were perceived as influence on marching band color guards. Thus, drum and bugle corps were inhibiting the potential growth of drum and At the beginning of the 21st Century, the “raucous-sounding” and sometimes tolerable bugle corps, both in terms of youth junior drum and bugle corps normally start only to drum and bugle corps fans. The main participation and audience entertainment. rehearsing on weekends as early as November -- characteristics were volume and overblowing, The growing desire for artistic freedom in not later than January -- and finish with Drum so it is not surprising that one contest was choice of music and show design was impeded Corps International Championships the second appropriately named “Beat and Blast.” by the tick scoring system which discouraged week in August, while the senior Drum Corps Those who had not learned to play an innovation by penalizing errors in execution.