Marry You (arr. Peter Van Lonkhuijsen): SAB Choral Octavo

Peter Van Lonkhuijsen captures the warmth and infectious joy of the original in a three-part texture that sits naturally for developing singers. The arrangement respects the song's emotional core (it remains a genuine love song, not ironic) while creating genuine musical interest in the supporting parts that keeps everyone engaged.

Bright, infectious, and genuinely sweet. The arrangement maintains the original's buoyant energy while creating space for the melody to shine through. There's an earnestness here that prevents the pop idiom from feeling cheap or overly novelty.

This arrangement works best for ensembles with solid sight reading skills and at least some experience with contemporary harmonic language. High schools with active pop or show choirs will find it immediately useful, though any community chorus or educational ensemble performing modern repertoire deserves to consider it.

• Balance the melody line so it sits comfortably above the harmonic voices without requiring sopranos to push hard; this arrangement lives in a friendly range.
• Pay attention to the rhythmic precision in the accompaniment parts. Even slight sloppiness in the lower voices will blur what makes this arrangement effective.
• Consider what the recorded accompaniment offers alongside your singers. Some directors will use it as a rehearsal tool only; others will perform with it. Either approach works here.
• The lyrical content invites genuine emotional connection from your singers. Spend a moment in rehearsal ensuring everyone understands they're singing an earnest declaration, not a novelty piece.

Insert this into a pop or contemporary concert to introduce a broader audience to choral arranging. Its familiarity makes it an excellent bridge piece between show choir and traditional concert programming, or use it as an opener to signal that your ensemble embraces multiple musical languages.

• Balancing contemporary pop harmonies with clear melodic priority
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in funk-inflected accompaniment patterns
• Singing supported pop style (avoiding belt fatigue through proper breath support)
• Connecting emotional authenticity to commercial music idioms