This Hunchback of Notre Dame A Cappella Medley Performance Gave Me Chills

This brought a tear to my eye, but I’m at a funny age (or so I’m told).  However, when this video came my way (thank you mysterious YouTube algorithms), it combined two things. First, it’s music from my favourite Disney animated movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  Secondly, it features my two favourite songs from the film – The Bells of Notre Dame and Out There.  They’re not back to back either, the latter segues seamlessly in and out of the latter (and vice versa) in a gorgeous medley. My reaction? Bloody Hell! Forgive me for getting a little Ron Weasley there, but this is fantastic.  The voices are pitch perfect. Plus. all of the singers seem to be having a whale of a time; they are absolutely in their element.

It looks like Swedish acapella quartet Ringmasters bumped into London-based classical ensemble VOCES8 in a bar, discovered they had a mutual love for all things Quasi, and said “Hey! Let’s put on a show!”.  Or maybe not.  In fact, the songs by Alan Menken were arranged by Aaron Dale, and adapted by Rasmus Krigström.  It must have taken some rehearsal time, too, to get this to the point at which we witness it – it’s incredibly emotive (re the tears), full of genuine feel for the characters and the storytelling (well done, chaps) and allows full ensemble participation.  To cap it all and make it feel even more astonishingly good than it already is, the only instrument used throughout is the human voice.  Fly, my pretties, fly!