Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) 2012 Remix (arr. Gitika Partington): SAATB Choral Octavo

Gitika Partington's SAATB arrangement captures the propulsive energy of Bush's original without losing the song's emotional core. The 2012 remix version gives arrangers a contemporary entry point for pop repertoire that doesn't sacrifice musical substance for accessibility. Your singers will connect immediately to material they likely already know, and the arrangement rewards attention to detail in blend and phrasing.

There's an urgency to this arrangement that mirrors the emotional intensity of the text. Partington's orchestration creates a sense of forward motion and building tension, anchored by driving accompaniment and countermelodies that weave throughout the five-part texture. Singers experience the thrill of pop music performed with choral precision.

Directors programming pop music for concert or festival settings will find this a musically legitimate choice that engages both performers and audiences. This works equally well for high school choirs seeking contemporary material with genuine songwriting craft or community ensembles wanting to expand beyond traditional choral literature.

• Balance the driving rhythmic figures in the lower voices against the upper line melody so the song's kinetic quality comes through without muddying the text.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock tempos early in rehearsal, then gradually shift focus to ensemble independence and intonation tuning.
• Shape the dynamic arc across the full arrangement rather than treating verses and choruses as separate sections. The song builds momentum best when you hear the continuum.
• Articulate the syncopated passages crisply. Even subtle rhythmic clarity transforms how audiences perceive the arrangement's modern energy.

This works as a show-closing number on a mixed concert, pairing naturally with other contemporary or crossover repertoire. The 11-page length makes it manageable for directors balancing multiple works, and the cultural resonance of the song (especially after its recent return to popular consciousness) creates an immediate connection with audiences.

• Sustaining rhythmic precision in syncopated figures across multiple voice parts
• Blending contemporary pop vocal stylings with choral ensemble technique
• Reading and performing independent melodic lines that interact contrapuntally
• Managing dynamic control within a driving, energetic texture
• Connecting textual meaning to vocal interpretation in a non-traditional choral context