London studio days

Hello and welcome back!

​In this latest d’Blog, composer Michael Blore discusses the London studio days for the album recording of TESS.

​A d’Blore d’Blog if you will.
 
So take it away, Mr Music.

You know when you can’t sleep, and you try everything from counting backwards from 100 to picturing yourself in a calming field of rabbits (no, really), but nothing is working so you just think “Stuff it, I’ll get up” and it’s 3 in the morning? Yeah, that. Welcome to my first day of recording principal vocals for the TESS album!

'LANDMARK MOMENT'

In a word, how did I feel? Excited. In another? Knackered. But any sense of tiredness is very quickly dispelled by the adrenaline coursing through your veins knowing you have reached a landmark moment on a journey that has so far taken 3 years of your working life.

​And what a moment! Here we are, recording and working with a performer who only a month prior I had seen at London’s Coliseum in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard playing opposite 

With Siobhan Dillon and engineer Conor Manning

screen legend Glenn Close giving a vocal performance of stunning beauty and control now about to lay down the first tracks as our very own leading lady for the first ever album recording of TESS. Perhaps “excited” doesn’t quite cover it.
​
​And then, thanks to the terrific work of casting director Anne Vosser, there were a few more sleepless nights to come in the weeks ahead as we prepared for recording more West End musical theatre stars in the shape of Tam Mutu, Simon Bailey, Jacqui Tate and James Dinsmore.

'STELLAR QUINTET'

And how did it feel hearing this stellar quintet perform my music? Well, oddly enough, though I’d been asked that question many times, it’s not something I pondered when getting down to business in the studio. The feeling that it is my music is lost as you try to capture a performance that is in the spirit of the music and one that is right for the storytelling.

Admittedly, there were tears, which isn’t saying much for a blubberbrain like me (the ending of The Sound of Music always has me in pieces!), but the sheer beauty of Siobhan’s voice at some of the story's most tender and intimate moments was truly heartbreaking.

'SHOCKS'

There were also goosebumps. Tam singing “Marry Me” in Act 2 would have any goose in bumps – especially this goose!

There were shocks too. Simon recorded all his material for Angel Clare in one day, which left us speechless. Selfishly, I wanted him to take longer so that I would have more days to work with such a lovely guy.

Tam Mutu records "Marry Me" from Act II

And there were laughs - intentional as well as those best reserved for the outtakes – with Jacqui and James giving us great comic turns as Joan and John Durbeyfield.

Simon Bailey sings the role of Angel Clare

'IMMENSE GRATITUDE'

​But above all, there is immense gratitude.

​Firstly, to London engineer Conor Manning who made our stay at his home studio an enjoyable and good-natured affair in spite of the sweltering weather!

Then, to our album producer, Sunim Koria, who kept a watchful eye on proceedings from afar (no mean feat when there are over 400 vocal audio assets to capture).

And finally, to our London cast. Our aim is to get the TESS album heard by producers and theatre companies and, if they like it, to consider staging the show. Having such “names” involved will certainly help that cause. Names though are not enough. Quality counts. And on this album, it is there in abundance. Our London cast was not only magic to work with, but, in a word, magical to hear.  And though there are no guarantees, they have given TESS the chance of a very exciting future ahead.

Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you.

Next time on d'Blog... A look back at progress on the TESS album.