Fine Tuning
- Trills on a Tuesday
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
We welcomed back Elliot as our guest MD this week, who, under Eamonn’s instructions, guided us through four songs and fine tuning them.
Before we started the forensic rehearsal, there was an announcement that our treasured Treasurer is standing down at the end of this term after taking on this role for the past 6 years, although she will remain on the Committee. She has done an amazing job and will be a hard act to follow!
However, she still has work to do; anyone requiring extra tickets, please email janmharvey@icloud.com with your guests’ names and pay the money into the usual account.
You will have also noted that the barrier at the golf club is now in action.
Entering:
If you are driving, the barrier will automatically raise as you drive closer to it.
If you are cycling or walking, stand in the central part in front of the barrier on the slightly darker tarmac oblong, as this is the sensor point, and the barrier will raise
Leaving:
Golf club members will have their number plates registered so the barrier will open on number plate recognition.
Anyone else, enter the code 2016 (easy to remember as that is the year In Flagrante started) on the keypad on the right hand side approaching the barrier.
Once the barrier is raised, cars behind can just follow.
Now down to the nitty gritty and fine tuning.
The Rhythm of Life was first for scrutiny.
With the ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Man’ at the end, Sops ensure you hit the high notes (they were a little flat!). Try smiling and using your diaphragm for support.
Think of a different intention for each ‘Yeah’ so you really concentrate on every one of them.
After the key change in Bar 80 from ‘…. down below’ into an intense and confident ‘And the rhythm of life is a powerful beat…’
Be precise at all the cut offs as this makes such a difference to the sound. This can only be accurate if you watch the director!
Crossing the Bar will have very little support from the piano, so make sure you breathe in the right places and have the intention and expectation of when you start to sing so every single word can be heard.
The vowels should be long. The light and shade are so important in this song to tell this story.
The Impossible Dream needs a strong start by the Gents making sure ‘To’ is heard in ‘To dream the impossible dream…’ Do not slide, for example in ‘to bear with unbearable sorrow…’ Keep it clean and notes separate.
In the section ‘….to be willing to march into hell…’ don’t be tempted to emphasise ‘march’ and ‘hell’ just keep the whole phrase intense and smooth even though the underlying music has a military sound.
‘Hopeless’ needs a longer vowel sound as in ‘Ho -peless’
Basses practise your James Bond sounding ‘Oohs’ at Bar 30.
Thank you for the Days – feel the pulse of this song all the way through.
Be ready to come in on ‘Days’. Sound as if you’re ready for it and it is not a surprise.
In the ‘Aah’ section, each of the three notes start loud and get quieter until the very last note which finishes quiet and then crescendos into ‘You took my life….’
Again this song has contrast of soft and loud to make it interesting.
Next week we have Tim as our guest MD.
Please remember to learn the words of All My Trials as we will be singing this ‘off book’ – no folders open or iPads to be held down and out of sight.
Watching Eamonn for every cut off will make this song absolutely magical.
We are in a very good place where Eamonn is pleased with us so far and Elliot can see the hard work we’ve done and hear it in voices.
Keep up the good work!
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