Hallelujah, We Don’t Need Instruments!

In this activity they will perform the famous song Hallelujah
only with their voices, without instruments, dividing roles
of chords and melody.

AIM

Following the activities dedicated to capella singing, and inner pitching. The idea of performing harmony and melody enables the participants to go a step further in the inner tuning capacity. They are not going to have a harmonic accompaniment. They are going to do it themselves. In that way, all of the participants have to hear to each other and can achieve a more global (harmonic also) view of singing.

Description

1. They will listen to the song in order to refresh it
2. The facilitator will explain that they are going to sing a capella
3. The group will be divided in groups with chord functions and melody functions
4. The chords function is going to be progressively complicated if they can do it properly: 1st root, 2nd add fifths and 3rd add thirds

Lyrics

Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you dont really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor falls, the major lifts
The baffled king composing Hallelujah…

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew her
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah…

Well, maybe there’s a God above
As for me all I’ve ever learned from love
Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
But it’s not a crime that you’re hear tonight
It’s not some pilgrim who claims to have seen the Light
No, it’s a cold and it’s a very broken Hallelujah…

Well people I’ve been here before
I know this room and I’ve walked this floor
You see I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
But listen love, love is not some kind of victory march, no
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah…

There was a time you let me know
What’s really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And I remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove she was moving too
And every single breath we drew was Hallelujah…

Now I’ve done my best, I know it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didnt come here to London just to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand right here before the Lord of song
With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah…

comments for facilitators

If the activity is too difficult for them the piano would be added as a harmonic help. Aspects that must be paid attention to during the exercise are the ability to hold the pitch, and the accuracy of the intervals.