A Night Like This (arr. Peter van Lonkhuijsen): SSAA Choral Octavo

Peter van Lonkhuijsen's arrangement captures the sophisticated charm of Caro Emerald's original while opening it to ensemble singing in a way that feels natural, not forced. The SSAA voicing allows your altos real musical material instead of doubling, and the contemporary pop language sits comfortably in the choral medium without losing its stylistic identity.

Smooth, sophisticated, and subtly swinging. The arrangement breathes with the ease of a late-night conversation, balancing pop sensibility with harmonic richness that feels more like jazz than typical commercial music.

Choirs comfortable with contemporary repertoire and looking to expand into pop arranging that respects both the original song and the ensemble format. This works well for concert choirs at the intermediate to advanced level, or for mixed groups wanting to feature their altos.

• Balance the vocal lines so the melody reads clearly; the arrangement's sophistication can blur if sections aren't confident about their individual parts.
• Treat the rhythm with precision. Pop songs live or die on groove, and a choir that locks the pulse will sound polished rather than plodding.
• Shape phrases toward the lyrical centers rather than hitting every note with equal weight; Emerald's original phrasing is conversational and intimate.

Pair this with other contemporary pop arrangements to build a themed set, or use it as a standalone showstopper that demonstrates your ensemble's range beyond traditional choral repertoire. The 146 pages suggest substantial material that can anchor a concert or serve as a feature performance.

• Interpreting contemporary song phrasing and rhythmic nuance in a choral context
• Balancing individual vocal lines while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Understanding groove and pulse in non-classical genres
• Navigating pop harmonic language across multiple vocal parts