Composed by Terry Wigmore

17/7/12 Original mix (from Terry's page) remastered. All comments/feedback appreciated and will be replied to.

ORIGINAL ARTIST COMMENT

This song is the first attempt at a collaboration with James Bell (Alive). The song was written 2 years ago and is autobiographical in nature, which makes it a personal song. Choosing to work with another vocalist on a tune has so much of a personal nature invested in it already, has turned out to be a significant step forward for both James and myself. After a multitude of technical problems (exchanging files via e-mail and glitches along the way), and lots of dialogue, the tune as it is recorded here is pretty much done, though I am always open to suggestions. The joys of collaboration are the ideas that come unexpectedly to influence the recording. I give full credit to James for using his amazing vocal stylizations to come up with a harmony track that is well beyond my own ability to render, and that is the essence of a working relationship - the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Special note: After exchanging several ideas, we have decided that a series of songs would be developed using the Cello as the backing instrument of choice. This song, Getting Married, is the first of what we hope will be a trilogy of songs - a Suite With Cello - and the second tune is well underway featuring more extensive vocal collaboration and use of the cello. Stay tuned.

Also of note: The rhythm track in Getting Married is a tribute to the stylings of Sheesham and Lotus (visit their website - (http://sheeshamandlotus.com). These performers present a genre of music called Americana using fiddles, banjos, and an assortment of do-dads and body parts, to create rhythms while they perform. The rhythm track for Getting Married uses such sounds as: open palm slapping bare knees, CD jewel case slapped against thigh, Hollow cheeks slapped by hands, My favourite coffee mug tapped by a pencil, Rubbing palms together, palms slapping cotton pyjamas...and the list and layers goes on. It was fun to try all kinds of sounds to create an interesting listening experience. Hopefully there will be more "natural" acoustic rhythms in future tunes too.

And finally, I need to mention the cello. This instrument quickly became an integral part of the backing track, despite needing to be dusted off from years of neglect, and without a cake of rosin for my bow. From the fiddle-style emulation in the intro to the pizzicato embellishments and the col legno
(striking of the strings with the wood of the bow) during the "been a long train a-comin'" - it was fun to use a real stringed instrument and leave the synth strings behind.

I hope the listener has the same smile I had while recording this one. :) TW
Thanks to: James for going on this adventure; Mr.Michael Rini (my cello teacher all through public school in the Toronto Board of Education - it is a saint who tries to teach strings to elementary students - the sound of bows scraping strings is enough to drive one mad...but Mr. Rini did it with grace and dignity...who'd a thunk that I would still be playing after all these years ;) ; Ms. Sooper - my High School Music teacher at Monarch Park Collegiate Institute in Toronto for all of her encouragement - I will never forget the Vivaldi Concerto in A minor for Cello...my first big solo performance at Ontario Place...I think my parents were the only ones in the stands ;) ; Mr. Marcel Rae, my private cello intructor in Toronto...sorry I didn't make a professional career out of being a cellist, but I have had fun along the way ;)