There is something truly enchanting about living in a world that is chuck full of magic. It is a world where anything is possible, where dreams can come true, and where the ordinary can be transformed into the extraordinary. It is a world where the limits of imagination are stretched and reality is wondrously blurred. In a world of magic, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Mundane objects like wands, potions, and spell books hold the power to change lives and shape destinies. Ordinary people become extraordinary beings with the ability to fly, shape-shift, and create incredible things.
Lindberg Lyd (2L), Released May 2023 The exquisitely decorated 15th century choir book known as the Old Hall manuscript was lost to history for the best part of 400 years until its reappearance in a Catholic seminary at the end of the 19th century. The largest surviving collection of medieval motets and mass movements, it immediately became the most celebrated source of English music of the period. It was written in the first instance by a single scribe to ensure that the music of his fellow singers was not forgotten. Many of them are known only from this manuscript, and on this album they find their voices again after more than half a millennium of silence, transformed by the singing of Trio Mediæval in the company of Catalina Vicens, alongside new music by David Lang and Marianne Reidarsdatter Eriksen.
It has received widespread acclaim from various news sources and music review websites, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and New York Public Radio. One can sense a reference in the title to the Nordic roots of the singers, as well as the bracing purity of their voices; moreover, the album s repertoire travels from Iceland to Italy, from north to south like the Aquilonis wind.
Ordinary people become extraordinary beings with the ability to fly, shape-shift, and create incredible things. The laws of nature are disregarded and replaced by a new set of rules where the impossible becomes possible. Magic also brings with it a sense of wonder and awe.
What is a Vocal Harmony?
Before presenting the definition of a vocal harmony, let’s take a minute to consider the other, non-music based definitions of the word, according to Miriam-Webster:
a: pleasing arrangement of parts
b: agreement, accord
c: internal calm :tranquility
d: an interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative
Lovely word, isn’t it? When a harmony is done well, two or more vocal parts come together in an arrangement that adds feeling, depth, texture, and perhaps even a sense of tranquility to a song. Many of the singers we’ve interviewed describe the experience of singing harmonies as causing a physical sensation almost like a buzzing when they’re getting it right.
There are endless examples of vocal harmonies across just about every genre, from Broadway show tunes to traditional country to pop. If you’re not familiar with what a harmony is, watch this clip of the band Joseph performing “Sweet Dreams.”
Okay, so you know what a harmony sounds like, but what is a harmony in music? The simplest definition is “the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously.”
In the above example, vocal harmony happens when the second and third singers layer their voices with the other. In this next example, the duet of Lucius often sing full songs together, with their two voices almost sounding like one.
This isn’t just random magic: chords are at play. Harmonization happens when musical notes combine into one chord often in thirds or sixths, and then into chord progressions 1 . In a simple two-part harmony, the first person sings the melody and the second sings above or below that melody within the chord structure. In rock or pop music, a backup singer will harmonize with the lead singer by adjusting the pitch of her note based on the lead singer’s pitch so that they are in tune. In doo wop, backup singers would harmonize with each other in the background, taking the place of the instrument.
Some singers, like those involved with barbershop quartets, think of harmony as practically mathematical in nature. When they sing their four-part harmonies, getting it right is a science in which each singer has his or her own role often based on their voice type. For others, the ability to harmonize well is a skill they can’t explain but they’ve developed by listening and practicing, with that perfect harmony buzz as the goal. Many of the voice coaches we’ve interviewed who find harmonies hard to explain but easy to sing have grown up in a church setting, hearing and singing hymns when they were very young.
Singing harmony well involves factors such as pitch, timing, and amplitude, which we’ll expand upon in a later post, but for now you can use our Harmony Helper harmonizing app to hear and watch the notes that make a harmony as they float across the screen. This might help show how voices in a harmony relate to each other.
In the meantime, dig deeper on this topic by reading Rob McClure’s post, “What makes a harmony good?”
Phoebe Bridgers is an NPR Music favorite — she's already been one of our 2018 Slingshot artists and played a Tiny Desk concert — whose Stranger in the Alps was one of last year's best debuts. Noah Gundersen has spent the last decade breaking out slowly and steadily, releasing a long string of well-received albums and EPs.
It sparks our curiosity and opens our minds to endless possibilities. It reminds us that there is so much more to the world than what meets the eye. Magic fills our lives with a sense of excitement and adventure, propelling us into unknown realms and challenging us to expand our horizons. But perhaps the most magical aspect of living in a world chuck full of magic is the belief that anything is possible. It instills in us a sense of hope and optimism, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, there is still a glimmer of light. Magic teaches us that we have the power to shape our own reality, to create the world we want to live in. In a world chuck full of magic, our imaginations are set free. We are no longer bound by the constraints of logic and reason. We are free to dream, to create, and to explore. It is a world where the extraordinary becomes the ordinary, where the impossible becomes the norm. So let us embrace the magic that surrounds us. Let us believe in the power of dreams and the enchantment of the unknown. Let us live in a world that is chuck full of magic, where anything is possible and where the extraordinary awaits..
Reviews for "Celebrating Diversity: Exploring the Multicultural Magic of Chuck Full of Magic"
1. John Doe - 1 star - "Chuck full of magic was a complete disappointment. The storyline was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and had no growth throughout the book. The writing style was choppy and inconsistent, making it difficult to stay engaged. I found myself forcing through each page, hoping it would get better, but unfortunately, it did not. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written magical read."
2. Emily Smith - 2 stars - "While the concept of Chuck full of magic had potential, it fell flat in execution. The pacing was off, with slow and unnecessarily long passages that made it difficult to maintain interest. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard to connect with the characters. Additionally, the world-building was lacking, leaving many unanswered questions about the magical elements introduced. I was left feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed by this book."
3. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars - "Chuck full of magic was a frustrating reading experience. The plot was disjointed and lacked coherence, shifting from one random event to another without any clear connection. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their journey. The writing style was also quite amateurish, with awkward phrasing and repetitive descriptions. Overall, I was disappointed by this book and would not recommend it to others."
4. David Johnson - 1 star - "I found Chuck full of magic to be a complete waste of time. The storyline was predictably generic and offered nothing new or exciting in the world of magical fiction. The protagonist was unlikeable and made questionable decisions at every turn. The pacing was incredibly slow, dragging on with mundane descriptions and tedious dialogue. I found myself constantly checking how many pages were left, hoping to get through it quickly. Needless to say, I was left thoroughly unimpressed by this book."
5. Samantha Brown - 2 stars - "Chuck full of magic had an interesting premise but failed to deliver. The plot was convoluted and lacked consistency, with too many subplots that felt unnecessary and unrelated. The writing itself was average at best, with overly simplistic language and repetitive sentence structures. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked personality, making it hard to become invested in their journeys. Overall, this book fell short of my expectations and did not leave a lasting impression."