We had an enormous turn out last night with new people joining in all voice parts which gives logistical problems with seating.
As such, we are going to ‘block’ the choir into voice parts which will help with the sound.
Please be flexible as you may not be sitting where you have previously sat
You will find a section for each voice part and all will be four rows deep.
Sop 1 – 4 x 4
Sop 2 – 3 x 4
Altos – 4 x 4
L Tenors/Tenors – 3 x 4
Bases - 3 x 4
With so many wonderful voices to blend and harmonise, Eamonn had us sing a simple round ‘Hey ho, nobody’s home, Meat or drink nor money have I none. Yet I will be merry, very merry’
When learning by ear it is important to come in at the beginning at the right time, and if you get lost through the rest of it and join in again at the right time, you’ll be fine. This will give you something to build on until you can learn it all. Don’t freak out and do nothing!
We sounded glorious, so a good start to revisit Steal Away.
This needs a crisp start – not lots of ‘ssssssteal’
When the ‘trumpet sounds’ put the ‘z’ sound on the end of the word as you here the bass chord played and jump off of that to ‘withina my soul’ and don’t make ‘soul’ too long. Watch for the cut offs.
Do not breathe in the phrase ‘I ain’t got long to stay here’ and make ‘here’ long.
It is all gentle until you reach the verses and then really sing out ‘My Lord he calls me….’ And ‘Green trees a bending ….’.
Create a big contrast.
Before we revisit the Animals and, The House of the Rising Sun. A very different version by Nina Simone. The same but different.
Back to the Animals. The Tenors/Basses starting us off giving extra weight to the word ‘house’.
Lady & Gent Tenors sing the Oohs and the Sop 1s must smile at the top notes to keep them bright and not under the note.
Don’t be polite ‘when he’s all a drunk!’
Altos, then come in gently on ‘Oh Mother tell your children’. The tempo doesn’t change, so do not rush it;
it is just quiet,
On the last ‘There is a House in New Orleans’ the Lady and Gent Tenors sing out boldly as it is very low in your voice range, while the Altos can sing like ladies of the night with their Oohs.
After a well earned break, we looked at You’ve Got a Friend. This a 1971 song written by American singer-songwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by her and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971).
Another well-known version is by James Taylor from his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. His was released as a single in 1971, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.
Carole King has stated that "the song was as close to pure inspiration as I've ever experienced. The song wrote itself. It was written by something outside myself, through me."
According to James Taylor, Carole King told him that the song was a response to a line in Taylor's earlier song "Fire and Rain" that "I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.
Carole King said in a 1972 interview that she "didn't write it with James or anybody really specifically in mind. But when James heard it he really liked it and wanted to record it".
Eammon’s version starts gently with Altos and Sop 2s. The Tenors/Basses notes are not very exciting, as they are mainly on one note! However, when sung with the other voice parts they blend deliciously.
Do not breathe – this will be become a running theme you will find - in the phrase ‘And you know wherever I am, I’ll come running’
Keep moving forward with this song, don’t relax in the warm bath of Eamonn’s quavers!
Enjoy the ebb and flow.
This song will be completed next week and we will run through Joshua and may be something else. Keep your eye on the Dropbox for new material and listen the tracks and be ready.
See you next week in your starting blocks!
