This is not one of my songs! But it is an example for the Vocal Group I lead.
We were in France a few years ago, to sing with a French choir. They asked us to sing Va Pensiero with them, the classic version. Va pensiero, also known as the "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves", is a chorus from the opera Nabucco (1842) by Giuseppe Verdi. It is the song in which the Israelites in Babylonian captivity mourn over their homeland. The opera lovers among you will undoubtedly know the song.
When we came back we wanted to go on singing the song, but as we sing pop music mainly, they asked me to make music for a "nowadays" version of the song. I made three BIAB versions, a quiet modest version, a pop version and.... the one they chose. Then I sang the three vocals (we are sopranos, mezzo sopranos and altos) and sent each of them their own part. Now we sing it together. So what you hear now, is the music made by BIAB and my three vocals. My soprano is always a disaster, being an alto, but the sopranos do it better. By listening to my strained voice, they know exactly how to sing the soprano part the way it should be . This is the way I teach them to sing the harmonies.
Anne-Marie...your voice is always pretty no matter what range you sing in...I'm not familiar with the song but find the background of it very interesting...I like the intro with the strumming rock guitar and the progression of the band...I can't understand the words but can hear the lament in the lyrics...very nice and quite interesting...what did they think of this version?
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Great harmonies and this must have been a bear to mix but you did a great job on it. I don't need to understand the words to know a good song when I hear one and this is a very good song.
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I'm not sure Verdi would approve, but I think it's a fresh interpretation of an old (and often covered) song. I like it. And, to be honest, in the context of the arrangement, your alto voice doesn't sound that bad.
And I LOVE your (slight) Dutch accent when you sing an Italian song
Anne-Marie...your voice is always pretty no matter what range you sing in...I'm not familiar with the song but find the background of it very interesting...I like the intro with the strumming rock guitar and the progression of the band...I can't understand the words but can hear the lament in the lyrics...very nice and quite interesting...what did they think of this version?
Thanks Dan. My vocal group likes this verdion very much. But I wonder what Verdi would think of it.
We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.
Very nice you two. I don't know a thing about opera, so I'm completely unfamiliar with the song. I sure like the sound you've got out of it though. Like Mario said, it sounds like a difficult one to mix, but it sure sounds good to me. And I thought the vocals were great - I didn't notice any strain. This was neat to hear!
What a surpise to hear you sing this song with the different vocals. I didn't expect it when reading your post. Very good and entertaining too! And the way you've made this pop version of mr verdi's song deserves a round of applause! Or otherwise I'll do that on the phone one day ;-)
Great harmonies and this must have been a bear to mix but you did a great job on it. I don't need to understand the words to know a good song when I hear one and this is a very good song.
Thanks Mario. Yes the mix was quite some work
Anne-Marie
We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.
I'm not sure Verdi would approve, but I think it's a fresh interpretation of an old (and often covered) song. I like it. And, to be honest, in the context of the arrangement, your alto voice doesn't sound that bad.
And I LOVE your (slight) Dutch accent when you sing an Italian song
A "slight" Dutch accent... well that's quite a compliment, because I don't speak Italian at all! But I do speak some French and there are words in French and Italian that resemble each other. No, I don't think Verdi would approve of my arrangement. But thanks for your nice words B.D.
Anne-Marie
We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.
Rob and Anne-Marie, you are very interesting folks, and this is a cool demonstration of that. Anne-Marie, there is no way you ever sing with disastrous effects. I listened a couple times to get a better sense of the harmony. Beautiful. I bet that choir in France was quite impressed with your rendition. I was.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
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Great harmonies! I like to add rhythms & Bass to classic songs and bring them back to modern pop music, and I often make such works. You've just made it pop successfully. Wonderful! Very relaxing. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Your voices are always beautiful no matter which part you’re singing. And the band, mix, etc. are all ace.
We think this is a fine way to introduce some of the great Masters to folks who are not familiar with those classics.
Awesome!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
I like it! I don't know the original, but if I heard it, I'm sure I would prefer yours. Your arrangement sounds clever put together. Singing is mighty good.
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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