October 25, 2008

Homecoming Saturday.

The UW Marching Band began playing at 7 a.m. this morning. Insistent drumming and trumpeting permeates the neighborhood. I love the national anthem as much as anyone. No, I'm sure there are people who love it more than I do, but I love it appropriately well. Still, I don't want to hear it at 7:15 a.m. -- "by the dawn's early light," literally.

16 comments:

KCFleming said...

Maybe they're just hazing you.
=P

Bissage said...

It hurts all the more knowing that the national anthem was originally a composition for oboe and harpsichord.

KCFleming said...

At least the rocket's red glare ain't literal this morning.

Just Althouse's red glare, aimed at the marching band and Geo. "Fudge" packer.

MadisonMan said...

At 7:15 on a cloudy morning, how can they see the notes?

Well, maybe they know the SSB by heart.

Host with the Most said...

I so get you.

My first home was against a park and behind that was the high school.

The marching band, beginning every mid August, began practicing before school at 6:30 AM 5 Monday thru Friday for 14 weeks.

John Phillips Souza, you bastard!

Hazy Dave said...

Maybe you can catch a nap during the game. The offense has been awfully quiet, lately.

1775OGG said...

Oh well, on Nov. 15th, Madison will see and hear a great marching band when the Golden Gopher Marching Band appears to entertain that rowdy bunch of UW boozers in Camp Randall Stadium.

Perhaps the ghosts of dead Confederate Prisoners are haunting the UW Marching Band into performing horrible acts like irritating UW Faculty members.

1775OGG said...

PS: Blogger sucks!

Ann Althouse said...

Host, well, at least our band is good (for a marching band).

I usually enjoy hearing them in the distance, especially, when students come back in August and start practicing again after a long break.

***

Hey, Pogo changed his picture... including drums. In honor of the Wisconsin marching band?

Eric said...

I love the national anthem as much as anyone. No, I'm sure there are people who love it more than I do, but I love it appropriately well.

I love my country, but I hate, hate the national anthem. Who in his right mind would choose for a national anthem a song that covers three octaves, i.e. one that only professionals and people with a lot of natural talent can sing? From a purely musical perspective the old Soviet national anthem put ours to shame.

KCFleming said...

In honor of Ann, of course.

I never play the drum before noon, though.

Joan said...

7AM? I'm sure they schedule practice so late out of deference to sleeping neighbors.

Ann Althouse said...

"Who in his right mind would choose for a national anthem a song that covers three octaves, i.e. one that only professionals and people with a lot of natural talent can sing? From a purely musical perspective the old Soviet national anthem put ours to shame."

It's one more American incentive for achievement. I question your idea of what the "right mind" is. You sound like a Communist.

Unknown said...

Three octaves? Talk about hyperbole...

It can be sung in many keys, and, most of the time, it is played in a difficult one. Sounds better musically, I guess.

We get the SSB in the summer here, too, during HS band practice at 6:00 am before they leave for band camp... the worse part of band practices is the rap music blaring over the loud speakers during breaks....

And one time, at band camp...

kjbe said...

That they actually got there by 7am is pretty impressive with this bunch...

kjbe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.