Updated: Feb 18, 2023
You may have noticed that Eamonn gives us a lot of instructions and guidance each week on how the songs should be sung and performed.
We tend to think we will remember these seemingly simple hints and tips.
However, as our repertoire grows, with the best will in the world, it is impossible to remember everything. (The only person who will remember is Eamonn, so be ready for the glare when you get it wrong!)
A simple solution is to bring a pencil with you each week and mark your music score accordingly. You’ll be surprised the difference it makes if you haven’t already tried it.
Speaking of ‘impossible’, we revisited The Impossible Dream where the tenors have their moment of glory and start us off singing the tune. Eamonn said that they sounded magnificent! However, they mustn’t be seduced by the Lady Tenors when they join in and sing along with them. Their notes are different.
For everyone, it is important to sing through the phrases and not take a breath (mark it with your pencil!)
Be confident when you are ‘Willing to march into hell’ and then afterwards, ‘when the world will be better for this’ make it peaceful and calm and keep your eyes on Eamonn for the cues.
You can mark in pencil on your score too!
In the Oooh section you do have permission to breath, so enjoy this moment as it doesn’t happen very often. These are already marked for you (no need to use your pencil here)
Lady Tenors Ooohs needs to having big smiling vowels and think of the sound coming out of the top of your head like a steam train!
The Impossible Dream becomes a Daydream Believer.
It was composed by American songwriter John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. It was originally recorded by the Monkees, with Davy Jones singing the lead.
John Stewart wrote Daydream Believer as the third in a trilogy of songs about suburban life, recalling: "I remember going to bed thinking, 'What a wasted day — all I’ve done is daydream.' And from there I wrote the whole song. I never thought it was one of my best songs. Not at all".
RCA Records did not like the song as written by Stewart, and insisted on changing a critical word. Stewart originally wrote: "Now you know how funky I can be," but RCA wanted to change it to "Now you know how happy I can be," as one meaning of "funky" is "smelly." Stewart initially objected because the change would completely reverse the meaning of the line and would not make sense in the context of the song. He relented because RCA was adamant and Stewart realized that the song could be a hit.
As this is another well known song it has to be sung as written by Eamonn and to get the rhythms right, so get out your pencils again and mark the score!
The Doos need to be bright and not Duh and dull!
The Ba ba das should have pizzazz like jazz hands and the Baas should sound like sheep
The ending just fades away – don’t make the mistake to think quieter means weaker. Keep the intensity going as you get quieter. Watch Eamonn for the timing. While he is playing, his head will act like a third hand, so watch carefully for the cut offs.
As a nod to Valentine’s Day, we finished with Make You Feel My Love. Remember the double notes on ‘we met’ and ‘wild and free’ and also if you are coming in on the beat or off the beat as it varies. Mark the score with your pencil!
Please note: Next week we will be rehearsing in out usual venue, the clubhouse where Ricardo will be leading us.
Last week, Windmills of Your Mind. This week, Don Quixote's Quest, The Impossible Dream. He sees some windmills and thinks they are giants. When he rides to fight with them, he is knocked off his horse. Sancho tells him they are only windmills, but Don Quixote does not believe him. He is sure a magician changed windmills into the giants to hurt him.
We were delighted to have Eamonn back with us wishing to wash Irish wrist watches!
He took us through Make you Feel My love. The Altos were sounding like a church choir of the damned so the emphasis is on ‘Ah’ when singing ‘Love’ (Lahve) rather than ‘Ur’ (Lurve).
Sing love with a smile and it will just happen and make it sound like a ray of sunshine!
The Lady Tenors had their ups and downs. As some parts are extremely low, Eamonn is adjusting the music score to enable them sing an octave higher at certain points, but still sing the lower notes at other times.
When we are all singing the ‘Ooohs’, which are descending notes, it is important that everyone thinks up as they take a breath as they sing the phrases. This will keep is sounding pure.
We have permission to sing a tasteful slide when getting to ‘Wild and free’. That really is a concession, as usually we are forbidden unless it is written!
Feel the stretch and the energy at ‘Go the ends of the earth for you’. Do not sing it like a Dalek!
The Impossible Dream (The Quest) is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. The song is the most popular song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole.
The complete song is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armour, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest". It is reprised partially three more times – the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition.
This song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Jack Jones, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Matt Munroe, Andy Williams, Elvis Presley, Susan Boyle and Josh Groban to name but a few.
Now it is Eamonn’s version sung by In Flagrante. The Tenors are the leads in this and need to drive forward through the quavers over the relentless underlying music.
There must be no showmanship – the timing must be precise and perfect in every way!
And no singing in the basement either!
The Atos are like the clarinets and need to sing their part as if they love it.
We are allowed to breathe and from ‘This is my quest’ with the breaths are marked on the score, so take advantage of them. We don’t get the opportunity to breathe very often!
2nd Sops have a part that is all over the place, and if they have confidence, they will achieve the right notes at the right time.
The grand finale ending has Eamonn’s famous little dunce holes. It is imperative that you watch him conducting at the end to know when to take the small gaps otherwise you will experience the famous Eamonn glare!
Little bit of Country and Western theme in the blog this week
Keep Smiling!
Unfortunately, Eamonn was not well enough to lead us last night, but the lovely Ricardo came and stepped in at the last minute, so we could carry on from last week. Get well soon Eamonn.
Ricardo easily slipped back into his role starting us off with Chicken Tikka and a pint of lager!
Alison Moyet singing Windmills of Your Mind. You can never get enough of Steve McQueen.
We then recapped The Windmills of your Mind. The Altos admitted they were given homework on this last week. Like the Lady Tenors, they have a lot of their harmonies on one note. Sounds simple until you have to sing it with energy and enthusiasm. The lynch pins to the song!
Ricardo mentioned that it reminded him of The Nightmare Before Christmas! After the first shock (and maybe a guilty conscience from the altos), he explained it wasn’t the singing that reminded him, but the underlying piano part. That caused great hilarity and no one was offended.
We worked on the dynamics of the song to make it sound more interesting.
The term ‘fp’ was explained to us: it means starting strongly at the beginning of the word and fading to quiet. It is not an easy thing to do, but will come with practice. Keep a look out for ‘fp’ on the music score and remember the technique.
The Zoomers were having problems with hearing the music and singing last night. Hopefully, it will all be sorted out for next week.
After a short break we went through Make You Feel My Love but for those of us who struggle with one note melodies: Stacy Kent- One note Samba
We had only been through this quickly with Eamonn, so Ricardo took is through everyone’s part especially the Ooohs and harmonies.
The harmonies are important in this song and everyone is tempted to just sing the tune. As usual the sopranos are mainly on the tune, whereas the other parts are sometimes on the tune and then have a short harmony to sing.
It is worth marking your music score to highlight the harmony parts so you are ready for when we reach that part and it doesn’t come a great surprise or, indeed, gets missed altogether.
Mostly the verses start after the beat. However, remember bar 17 and 57 starts on the beat.
Altos take care to be ready and ensure ‘When’ is sung loud and clear on the first note when singing, ‘When the evening shadows and the stars appear’
Everyone else be ready to start on the beat of: ‘I could make you happy, make your dreams come true’. With everyone starting at different times it sounds a little like a Zoom session when the mute button isn’t on! Not a pretty sound!
Of course, it’s not just the beginning or words that important, but the endings too.
A good tip is to put the consonant at the end of the word on the ‘rest’ sign . That way the ending is crisp and clean and we all finish at the same time!
Great news: our concert date has been set for Wednesday 12 July 2023 at Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club. Put the date in your diary and book any holidays around it, if possible.
Easter break: we will not be meeting on 11 & 18 April 2023.
Keep singing at home, work or wherever works best for you. See you next week.