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Listen to The Harmonisers!

Please enjoy these songs recorded at a recent concert by The Harmonisers at the Virgen Del Carmen Theatre in Torrevieja. Click on any of the song titles below to play the soundtrack. Please be patient while the music file downloads - due to its size it may take a short while.

[We are sorry that we have had to remove these songs by the Harmonisers while we look into Copyright legislation]

So, what IS Barbershop singing?

Barbershop is an exciting and vibrant style of unaccompanied four-part singing, which involves three parts harmonising around a melody line. It uses chord arrangements rarely used in other types of singing. Barbershop singers adjust pitches to achieve perfectly tuned chords while remaining true to the established tonal centre. The barbershop arrangements help produce a ringing quality which in turn creates the uniquely distinctive sound of barbershop singing.

But the unique sound and energy is not all. The barbershop performance also involves movement and expression by the singers, which together with effective stage costumes aims to provide a dazzling spectacle to the audience.

This form of singing really did originate with customers singing in barber shops in America before the start of the 20th century. Before long the shops recruited singing barbers, and it rapidly became a very popular form of singing as it spread into vaudeville and minstrel shows. Much of the music originates from European migrants (a host of Irish songs are to be found), together with the emerging negro influences on American music.

There are four voice parts in barbershop singing: Lead, Tenor, Bass and Baritone. The song's melody is almost always sung by the lead, with the tenor harmonising above the melody, the bass singing the lowest harmonising notes and the baritone completing the chord. Occasional brief passages may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.

Barbershop singing at its best exhibits a fullness or expansion of sound, precise intonation, a high degree of vocal skill and a high level of unity and consistency within the chorus. But above all, to take part in or listen to good barbershop singing is a wonderful experience which should never be missed!

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