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Abstract

Marching and indoor concert bands have used music from the classical European repertory for many years. The benefits and drawbacks of such usage are numerous. One of the benefits of marching band transcriptions is a wider dissemination of cultural capital to more diverse audiences. To explore the implications of marching band transcriptions of orchestral music, this study compared and contrasted Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov and the 2004 and 2014 Santa Clara Vanguard performances of the work. Both the arrangements of RimskyKorsakov’s Scheherazade exemplify both the drawbacks and benefits of orchestral appropriation. Variations in musical content, visual content, performance venue, and audience makeup, contributed to varying audience perceptions and interpretations. These changes are ways music can be used to evoke different responses from the audience. The use of orchestral music for the marching band is a benefit to both students and audience members, including both DCI audience members as well as Friday night football crowds. The often substantial changes made in adapting symphonic works to DCI ensembles or high school marching bands combined with the overt visual presentation can change the intended program if any, and audience understanding of the work.

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