We had the perfect setting with the sun sinking behind the trees lighting up the clouds with beautiful colours as we started singing Crossing the Bar.
Last week we had impressed Eamonn with our rendition and showed off how we had done our homework.
What a difference a week makes!
Only one week into the new term and we have made Eamonn cross already!
Probably a surprise to those who are reasonably new to In Flagrante.
It usually happens much later on when we are nearing the concert date!
Maybe it was a combination of us not having cemented what we have learned last week and Eamonn having had a bad day!
Anyway, it is not irreparable and going over the long phrases and subtle changes of timing through the different verses, we started to get the sound our maestro wanted.
Only breathe when there are rests so the phrases flow and are serene and don’t sound as if we are on choppy waters.
Tenors are on the fifth of the chord (don’t be lured on to the tune). If you feel it is too easy, you’ve probably gone wrong!
Let’s do some homework and embed it in our minds, so Eamonn is not so cross and sad next week!
To cheer everyone up we tackled Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat.
Remember, ‘Sid’ features throughout this song! Stubby Kaye and Frank
Although the chorus is very well known, the verses are probably less so making it important to enunciate the words and tell the story as the verses are slow with very elongated phrases.
This will get the audience engaged!
Watch Eamonn for the entry into the chorus, ‘And the people all said…’ and remember there is no ‘and’ when it is repeated.
The ‘Oooh’ section is a little weird sounding, especially for the altos.
Remember to smile on ‘resist, and watch Eamo0nn for timing to come in on the next chorus.
Be emphatic and muscular on ‘..the fancy tie round your wicked throat’
By the time we reach Page 8, the Ooohs have become ‘Oh’ sounding like waves washing everyone overboard!
A well-deserved break (or not, as Eamonn would say) and back to What’s Up.
A little Pink!
Again, lots of words, but long phrases so only breathe where marked so it doesn’t break it up too much.
More Oohs which they change to ‘Ohs’. Smile as you sing them so you don’t sound as if you are straining for a poo!
Really sing out loudly and strongly with the chorus even though the music underneath is different. It is a protest song! Hey, yeah, yeah, eh, eh. Hey, yeah, yeah!
Have a listen to the original 4 Non Blondes version and to get the attitude needed.
Next week we will learn this properly all the way to the end and also go over Crossing the Bar, so needless to say, please do your homework! Eamonn is determined to make us love it!
Take a look at the Greatest Showman as next Tuesday we will be getting into Muscal Theatre with From Now On. More information on this in next week’s Blog.
Trillers on a perch
‘No more will I go to Blandford Forum and Mortehoe On the slow train.’ I flew from my perch last week to go on a quest, a quest to find a missing station. In Flagrante’s last concert included that deeply moving song ‘Slow Train’, a lament about Dr Beeching’s savage assault on British rail. So when I found myself in Mortehoe, I could not rest until the station was found. Although it meant missing choir practice, this search was too important. Alas, it ended in failure. All that could be found were photos in a museum and a sign. There’s no station, but there is a station road! So, since ‘we won’t be meeting again on the slow train’ to Mortehoe, we’ll have to be content meeting at Deer Park golf club.
Cathy H. Soprano
