Useful info and links at the bottom of the page
If there is anything that the Rally and Brigade can do for you, to help with your preparation - please ask.
If there is anything that the Rally and Brigade can do for you, to help with your preparation - please ask.
Important News:
- I hope you enjoying International - either in person, or via the webcast.
- Cheer on Rooftop Records at International - they will be singing late in the quartet program on July 3rd, in the third round.
- If you are attending International or Harmony University this summer, look for opportunities to sing the core 8 from this year or previous years with other brigade singers. There may be brigade reunion rooms as well - a fast way to make friends is to sing a song together.
- We want to help you be ready, and will do what we can. But if you feel you must withdraw from NEHB, the form is here.
- Reminders:
- The 2020 Rally will be one week earlier in the calendar than in previous years - to accommodate the Jewish holidays. If your calendar-system always blocks the 3rd weekend, remember to shift it to the 2nd weekend for 2020. We will revert to the 3rd weekend for 2021.
- Additional part learning tracks are available for your personal use only. $20 per part, contact our Treasurer to purchase.
- Attend and host run-throughs - please attend or host. We are now on songs 1-8. To schedule a run-through, email Rob Sheridan. You can access the calendar on the web, add it to your own online calendar or find it on the NEHB web site.
- Current members - a reminder that to retain your membership you must have a current BHS membership and you must also attend at least every other year. Memberships expire after the second consecutive failure to attend. Future members - if this is your second consecutive NEHB you can apply for membership during the rally via a recorded audition. More details coming down the road.
Change The World
Words and music by Tommy Sims, Gordon Kennedy and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Arrangement by Deke Sharon and David Wright
Barberpop - yes, that’s what Deke Sharon and David Wright call it, so why can’t we?
If you have the time, there is a wonderful half-an-hour video interview of Deke and David talking about their barberpop collaborations, and this song. Why it’s structured as it is, who wrote what parts, why it’s faster than the original. Everything you want to know and more.
But first, let’s talk about the song - written a bit at a time over the course of a year as the three composers shared a melody, an idea, and the song and lyrics slowly came together. The recording process was similar, with many people having a hand in it.
The end result, made famous by Eric Clapton pairing with Babyface - is a great performance, production and a great recording of a basically mediocre song. The lyrics have no hook, the melody has a sameness - and it’s sung in a simple blues style. It is, basically, a song about a loser. If things were different, I’d have you - but they aren’t so I don’t. :-) (Bernie Taupin, the lyricist who works with Elton John, uses this song as an example of a terrible lyric.)
It was marvelously successful. It won many awards, and was nominated for more, and was used in the movie “Phenomenon” But: since then, it has dropped out of the music world.
Sharon and Wright have resurrected it, and created a fun but truly challenging song to sing. You may not see a lot of professional quartets singing this on YouTube.... Basses know why.
Let me talk to my brother basses - this song is very hard. There are no written breaths for basses until measure 33. The rhythm is tricky and doesn’t always follow the structure of each measure. I recommend the following steps:
-
Learn the rhythm without singing. Really learn the rhythm.
-
Find the spots for catch breaths, and take frequent tiny breaths
-
Print the music, find the places where we sing quarter notes on the first and second beats, and mark them.
-
Watch the eighth+quarter durations at the end of the scales
It can be done, and it’s great when you can finally do it.
VIDEO LINKS
Eric Clapton, with clips from the movie
Wynonna Judd a very different instrumental background
Useful Info And Links
Learn the rhythm without singing. Really learn the rhythm.
Find the spots for catch breaths, and take frequent tiny breaths
Print the music, find the places where we sing quarter notes on the first and second beats, and mark them.
Watch the eighth+quarter durations at the end of the scales
- The Preparedness Blog
- Geomap of participants
- If you MUST skip the rally, the withdrawal form
- Our Guest Quartet and Judges will be Rooftop Records! Get to know them on Facebook, their website, or their most recent performance at the SUN District this spring.
- The New England Harmony Brigade Home Page
- The NEHB Application Page
- A Video Retrospective of the 2018 Rally (credit Jim Schumacher)
- Getting Rides To The Rally, Rides Home From The Rally.
- Run-throughs
- Volunteer by sending email to Rob Sheridan
- See the calendar on the NEHB web site
- Add the calendar to your own.
No comments:
Post a Comment