Disappointment. I expect, like me, you were very disappointed that the rehearsal was cancelled last night but sometimes things are just beyond our control.
Maybe some of you were grateful not to have to go out in the cold and dark!
All is not lost and wasted. As the Maestro says, 'Practice! Practice! Practice!
It is building up in your muscle memory and will stand you in good stead for the following weeks.
It is important to keep that momentum going; if everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.
You’ve Got a Friend writer, Carole King and her friend James Taylor recorded individual versions of this song around the same time in 1971.
What makes the whole thing even more special is that James Taylor (73), and Carole King (79), remain great friends today.
Just Call Out My Name, a documentary about the creative pairing of Carole King and James Taylor. It showcased their friendship and deep admiration, both as people and as artists. They reflect on their five decades of collaboration and friendship; includes concert footage from the 1970s and their 2010 reunion tour.
Go over your parts in Dropbox and we can be prepared to sing it all the way through with perhaps only an occasional tweak here and there.
Keep Steal Away and The House of the Rising Sun fresh in your minds too as we will be building up our repertoire over the next weeks and gradually adding new songs until we have enough for our concert on 31 July. It is easy to forget the first songs we learn as they are put on the back burner.
Joshua is yet to be introduced to some or refreshed by others who have previously sung it.
The lyrics allude to the biblical story of the Battle of Jericho in which Joshua led the Israelites against Canaan.
A local dialect was used, “Joshua fit the battle of Jericho” meaning “Joshua fought the Battle of Jericho”
Like those of many other spirituals, the song's words may also be alluding to eventual escape from slavery – in the case of this song, "And the walls came tumblin' down."The lively melody and rhythm also provided energy and inspiration. Critic Robert Cummings wrote: "The jaunty, spirited theme hardly sounds like the product of the pre-Civil War era, and would not sound out of place in a ragtime or even jazz musical from the early 20th century. The closing portion of the tune, sung to the words quoted above, is its most memorable portion: the notes plunge emphatically and impart a glorious sense of collapse, of triumph
Teamwork.The best teamwork comes from those who are working independently toward one goal in unison.
With that in mind, keep going. Practise a little each day and see you all next week!
Trillers on the Perch
Crows peck on snow, white
Winter’s monochrome landscape
Magpies watch and wait