Mark Burrows / Mark Burrows

Tenorbass.
Fun is the key to this arrangement which reimagines the whole scene of the Duke of York tediously marching his ten thousand men up and down the hill. What if those men had other plans? What if they had dreams of their own? What if they didn’t want to march up and down that hill anymore?! Find out the answers to these questions when you learn this great song, ideal for T(T)B ensembles both large and small.
The Noble Duke of York, sometimes referred to as The Grand Old Duke of York, is a traditional English rhyme. I’ve sung it ever since I was a kid and taught it to my daughters when they were young. Over and over, we sang about the Duke marching his ten thousand men up and down the hill. We never questioned how tedious and repetitive all that marching must have been…until we did. What if those ten thousand men had other plans? What if they had dreams of their own? What if they didn’t want to march up and down that hill anymore?!This arrangement reimagines the whole scene as a story about those ten thousand men who one day decide to lay down their muskets, pick up musical instruments, and form a jazz band!Fun is the key to this arrangement. All along the way there are moments to really lean into the melodrama:Measures 15-20 – The marchers are clearly exhausted and done with all that up-and-down. As you depict this exhaustion, take care to not let the pitch sag.Measures 23-26 (and similar places) – The tenors are the “trumpets,” and the basses are the, well, “string basses.” Aside from imitating the sounds of these instruments, feel free to add some simple motions to pantomime blowing a trumpet or plucking an upright bass.Measures 43-49 – Poor Duke. He has feelings too. Who knew? Definitely embrace the melancholy but remember – it’ll play better if the pitch and rhythm are true.Measures 55-End – The Duke scats a drum solo. Feel free to pantomime playing drums as you do. And when the rest of the singers join in with their instrument sounds, the whole band is swingin’, the Duke included.That’s right, it’s a redemption story…a really goofy redemption story!

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