Not While I'm Around (from Sweeney Todd) (arr. Mark Brymer): 2-Part Choral Octavo
Not While I'm Around (from Sweeney Todd) (arr. Mark Brymer) Sheet Music Preview

Not While I'm Around (from Sweeney Todd) (arr. Mark Brymer): 2-Part Choral Octavo

By Stephen Sondheim / Arranged by Mark Brymer

Item: 35-DS00505937
Digital Download
$2.99
Description

Not While I'm Around (from Sweeney Todd) (arr. Mark Brymer): 2-Part Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 9
SKU: 35-DS00505937

More about this title

About the Composer: Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim fundamentally changed what musical theater music could be. His sophisticated harmonic language, intricate rhythms, and psychologically complex lyrics challenged conventions and expanded the artistic possibilities of the genre. For educators, Sondheim's work offers students the chance to engage with composition that treats the voice as an instrument of remarkable nuance, where every interval and every word placement matters.

Why we love this

Mark Brymer's 2-part arrangement opens this Sondheim gem to younger choirs without compromising the song's emotional core. The gentle protection at the heart of the lyrics pairs beautifully with accessible voicing that still honors the original's harmonic sophistication, making it an ideal choice when you want to introduce singers to Broadway composition that actually respects their musical intelligence.

What to expect

There's a protective comfort to this music, a quiet promise delivered through warm harmonies. The arrangement wraps around Sondheim's lyrics with genuine affection, creating space for singers to convey both the surface simplicity and the deeper tenderness underneath.

Who it's for

High school and middle school choirs looking to expand into contemporary musical theater repertoire will find this accessible yet substantive. Treble choirs, in particular, will appreciate how the arrangement suits lighter voices while maintaining the song's tender emotional landscape.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the phrases around the text's conversational quality rather than forcing traditional phrase boundaries; this song lives in the spaces between reassurance and vulnerability.
  • Balance the two parts so neither overwhelms the other; the accompaniment should provide harmonic color without drowning out the intimacy of the vocal lines.
  • Resist the urge to add vibrato or excessive ornamentation that would pull away from the lyrical simplicity; Sondheim's genius here is in restraint.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a mid-concert palate cleanser between more energetic numbers, allowing audiences a moment of genuine connection. It's also particularly effective in spring concerts celebrating contemporary musical theater or in programs exploring themes of loyalty and care.

Skills your students will build

  • Phrasing driven by text rather than harmonic cadences
  • Maintaining vocal independence in simple 2-part writing
  • Balancing contemporary musical theater diction with sustained singing
  • Interpreting lyrical intention through dynamic control

You May Also Like