How Are Things In Glocca Morra: SSA Choral Octavo

Purifoy's arrangement captures the wistful charm of this Harburg lyric while making it accessible for SSA voices without sacrificing the song's harmonic warmth. The straightforward five pages keep rehearsal time reasonable, yet the piece still offers genuine musical substance and an opportunity to explore the storytelling quality that makes great Broadway material resonate in a choral setting.

The piece carries a bittersweet, almost dreamlike quality; Harburg's question about an imagined Irish village invites performers and listeners into a space of gentle longing. Lane's melody unfolds with natural phrasing that feels conversational, and the SSA texture gives the arrangement an intimate warmth.

Directors seeking accessible Broadway material for developing or experienced SSA ensembles will find this arrangement manageable without being trivial. Singers benefit from encountering mid-twentieth-century American song in a choral context, broadening their understanding of the repertoire beyond art song and classical pieces.

• Shape the melody with the text; Harburg's lyrics carry specific emotional weight in each phrase, so avoid uniform legato and let the words guide your phrasing.
• Balance the three voice parts so the sopranos remain clear without becoming shrill. The SSA voicing places considerable responsibility on the sopranos, who need support from solid alto and second soprano lines.
• Establish a tempo that allows the text to land naturally; rushing this piece flattens its nostalgic quality.
• In a cappella performance, lock the starting pitch and harmonic relationships early in rehearsal so singers can hear the color of Lane's chords without accompaniment masking tuning issues.

Consider pairing this with other American song standards in a "Broadway Favorites" or "American Songbook" concert grouping. It also works beautifully in a pops concert or benefit performance where accessible, entertaining material is valued, and five pages makes it an efficient addition to a longer program without requiring substantial rehearsal investment.

• Interpreting text with musical intention
• Balancing three-part harmony in close voicing
• Sustaining ensemble pitch and intonation in a cappella singing
• Shaping a melody across longer phrases without accompaniment support