After You've Gone: String Orchestra, Full Score

Mike Lewis's arrangement brings the swagger and melodic warmth of a 1918 standard into idiomatic string writing that intermediate orchestras can execute with real style. The Grade 3.5 level respects the orchestral musicians while keeping technical demands reasonable, making this a smart choice for directors who want their students playing recognizable music without arrangement compromises.

Nostalgic and swinging. The melody carries the elegance of early 20th-century popular songwriting, while the harmonic language hints at jazz idioms that would soon dominate American music. It's wistful without being sentimental, and energetic without being frantic.

String orchestras at the intermediate level who want to venture into jazz-influenced popular standards without sacrificing musical substance. This works equally well for groups seeking concert programming that connects with audiences and for ensembles building confidence with historical repertoire.

• Shape the opening melody with clear phrasing in the first violins; think of a singer's approach rather than mechanical rhythmic execution.
• Balance the inner voices carefully during harmonic passages to prevent the texture from becoming murky at concert halls with live acoustics.
• Let the jazz-influenced chromaticism speak without over-emphasizing individual pitches; these passages work best when they flow naturally into the next harmonic area.
• The recorded accompaniment can anchor your tempo during rehearsals, but trust your own ensemble's breathing once the parts are secure.

Pair this with other early American standards or arrange it as a standalone concert opener that sets a relaxed, sophisticated tone. It also works well in a program exploring the bridge between classical and vernacular music traditions, or as a lighter companion to more serious contemporary works.

• Singing phrased lines over changing harmonic backgrounds
• Balance and blend in four-part string texture
• Stylistic approach to jazz-influenced articulation and chromaticism
• Sustaining tone quality across both lyrical and rhythmically active passages