It's De-Lovely: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Jay Althouse's swing-inflected arrangement captures the playful flirtation of Porter's original without requiring a full pit orchestra or sophisticated vocal ranges that alienate younger singers. The piece fits neatly into pop choral programming while honoring the harmonic sophistication that makes Porter endure. Recording an accompaniment CD means your singers hear exactly what they're singing against, removing guesswork from rehearsal.

A conversation over cocktails, charming and slightly flirtatious, with the ease of a musical theater duet that sparkles without demanding technical virtuosity. The swing arrangement brings contemporary life to a 1930s classic, making it feel like a song your singers have always known.

Mixed choirs and show choirs looking for repertoire with Broadway credibility and popular appeal. The piece works equally well for high school ensembles and college recreational choirs seeking repertoire that connects to musical theater audiences.

• Treat the phrasing conversationally. This is a duet between two people, not an ensemble announcement. Even when voices overlap, clarity of individual lines matters more than blended mass sound.
• Dial back the vibrato on solo passages. The lightness of Althouse's swing arrangement calls for cleaner articulation and less classical operatic weight.
• Lock the rhythm section parts (bass and any optional instruments) to the recorded accompaniment track before full ensemble runs. This grounds the ensemble's sense of swing feel.

Program this alongside other Cole Porter standards or as a lighthearted contrast to weightier choral fare in a concert mixing classical and popular traditions. It works particularly well as part of a musical theater medley or a show choir set list where audience familiarity with Anything Goes adds recognition.

• Rhythmic flexibility and swing articulation
• Balancing solo and ensemble textures in a duet framework
• Lyrical clarity and conversational phrasing in a comedic context
• Listening and blending with recorded accompaniment