Tuesday 25 September 2007

Week 3 - Improvising Melodies

Coffee and Chat Time
Several people were on holiday this week including Moira Perrit who is in Luton visiting her new grandchild.
In spite of this, with our new member Sally, we were 13 making a good sound especially for 'WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE BABY, O?' which COULD have gone on for innumerable verses, given the inventive powers of this group.
Advice for dealing with a difficult baby ranged from the caressing, through practical, to the downright abusive, all to much laughter as each lyricist sang 'caller" for his/her own verse.
IMPROVISING melodies with the voice continues to improve as we await our new instruments.
Jim led us on the tin whistle for 'I HAE LAID A HERRIN IN SAUTt' a beautiful and intricate melody from the northeast which we are picking up gradually, singing selected phrases to begin with and Diana led us into SEEYAHAMBA on her flute, followed by our rhythmic drumming and finally full throated singing.
We made a start, led by Mairi, on MILE MARBHAISG, a waulking song which we were just beginning to sing with some gusto - better next week - and ended with the SONG OF THE WATERWHEEL in 3 parts (just)!

Tuesday 18 September 2007

Week 2 --- Lots of Laughter

Our group (12 today) met on this "cold and frosty morning", and began by loosening up with gentle moves to Fats Waller on 'stride' piano.
Taking our cue from the master improvisor, we then worked on improvising with our voices, a first time for some, even our new member and celebrity Gaelic singer Mairi, until everyone, without hesitation, sang forth a good, improvised phrase of melody.
The call and response, "What shall we do with the baby?" provoked much laughter and everyone is working on additional verses for next week.

Caller: The wind blows high, the wind blows low,
All: The wind blows high, the wind blows low,

Caller: I like sugar in my coffee o.
All: I like sugar in my coffee o.

Chorus: Caller: What'll I do with the baby O?
All: What'll I do with the baby O?

Caller: What'll I do with the baby O?
All: What'll I do with the baby O?

Wrap him up in calico.
Wrap him up in calico.
Give him to his daddy O.
Give him to his daddy O.

That's what I'll do with the baby, O.
That's what I'll do with the baby, O.

That's what I'll do with the baby, O.
That's what I'll do with the baby, O.

Seeyahamba continues to inspire good singing and perhaps next week we'll move on to some harmonising.

Tuesday 11 September 2007

The New Season begins

Wonderful to get together again and also to welcome three new members -two of whom were there from the start - Joan Gemmell and Malcolm Douglas while the third, Mairi McArthur who had been passing on a walk, heard our singing and came to join in.
John, Gordon & Carol, Diana, Irene, Moira, Kate and Isla made 11 altogether and Jim. Rosemary and Sheila were all still on holiday.
GREAT NEWS!
We got ALL the money we asked for - £2527 from AWARDS FOR ALL which is administered by the Scottish Arts Council.
So now it’s full steam ahead to confirm our order to Studio 49 in Germany for Orff instruments and also to other suppliers for delicious things including a beautiful big cymbal, tunable hand drums and a large floor tom.
They should arrive at the end of September and the janitor is currently organising a good,lockable storage for us (all the instruments, that is!) in the C. E. centre.
NEW SONGS.
A ‘call and response’ song about a situation very common today, where grandparents, left in charge of babies, find themselves at a loss to know what to do with them ‘What shall we do with the baby, O?’
After this ‘warm up ‘ song we did some good singing in SIYAHAMBA a song from South Africa, eventually blending in some drumming. Like many African songs this will benefit from adding harmony which of course will be a dawdle for us next week.
Several of us had read about the U.K.’s oldest woman who attributed her longevity, surprisingly, to salt and this had started me thinking about Scotland’s staple of not that long ago which was tatties and herring, salt herring, of course.
Our final song of the morning, therefore, was The Jolly Herring.
Best wishes to all,Moira.

Sunday 2 September 2007

Enjoy Music -- Why not have a go -


Enjoy Music is a group of enthusiasts who meet to develop their own musicality in a way thats active, sociable and fun. The group is led by Moira Jakobbson in musical activities involving movement, singing and playing instruments, based on the Carl Orff approach to education in music, his arrangements, as well as a wide range of other music
Click on the banner above to read all about it --- Great fun and you don't really have to be able to sing --- Your webmaster can vouch for that !!