Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) (arr. Roger Emerson): TB Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's arrangement transforms this 1970 pop hit into a piece that honors the original's warmth while giving it genuine choral weight. The voicing balances accessibility with musicianship, letting singers feel like they're performing something contemporary and fun rather than something retrofitted into choral form. Boys' choirs especially benefit from material that feels this confident and unfussy.

Warm and unpretentious. The arrangement has a gentle swing to it, with the kind of easy charm that makes audiences relax into listening. There's real affection in the harmonic writing, which deepens what could have been a simple pop cover into something singers genuinely want to inhabit.

Boys' and men's choirs at intermediate to advanced levels, as well as mixed ensembles looking for repertoire that feels current without demanding vocal heroics. The piece works equally well for concert programming or festival performance, where its familiarity becomes an asset rather than a liability.

• Lean into the straightforward melody rather than over-interpreting it. The song's power comes from its directness, which means clean attacks and clear vowel formation serve the music better than expressive distortion.
• Balance the harmonic movement carefully in the lower voices. Emerson's voicing gives the bass and baritone parts genuine interest; letting those lines breathe prevents the arrangement from collapsing into melody-plus-accompaniment.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the groove, but don't let it dictate your tempo. Find the pocket that feels natural for your ensemble's strengths.

Pair this with other pop and folk arrangements to create a set that showcases your ensemble's range beyond traditional choral literature. It also works beautifully as a lighter moment in a concert built around heavier repertoire, giving audiences a chance to hear your singers in repertoire that requires different strengths. Consider programming it at community concerts or school assemblies where connection with the audience matters as much as technical display.

• Sustaining clear diction across block chords
• Balancing melody with harmonic parts in close voicing
• Singing with a conversational tone rather than operatic weight
• Holding tuning in unison and parallel thirds
• Responding to rhythmic precision in a groove-based arrangement