The Best Things in Life Are Free: SATB a cappella Choral Octavo

Michele Weir's arrangement taps into the swing and flexibility that makes this standard feel so alive while respecting the harmonic richness Henderson composed. The newly created contrapuntal interlude is a sophisticated touch that gives your choir a chance to show genuine musicianship beyond straightforward hymn-style voicing. This is a piece that sounds and feels substantial without demanding extreme vocal gymnastics.

The arrangement breathes with the warm nostalgia of a classic ballad while maintaining the sophisticated harmonic language that made the original standard endure. Weir's contrapuntal writing creates moments of unexpected depth, and the shift toward the sentimental solo offers a chance for genuine vulnerability. Without accompaniment, every gesture your voices make carries weight.

This octavo works best for choirs with solid intonation skills and genuine enthusiasm for jazz idiom. Your singers need comfort with rubato, harmonic complexity, and the rhythmic flexibility that real vocal jazz demands. It suits community, collegiate, and high school choirs ready to move beyond pop arrangements into serious songbook territory.

• Balance the a cappella blend carefully during the interlude where Weir introduces multiple melodic lines; ask each section to listen across the chord rather than lock into their individual parts.
• Shape the rubato marked in the score with intention; these moments of flexibility need ensemble agreement so the effect feels organic rather than accidental.
• Let the solo voice (written for soprano, though adaptable) breathe naturally at phrase endings, and support it with warm, unobtrusive backing parts so the intimacy reads to an audience.
• Work intonation through the jazz harmonies slowly and in short sections; a cappella jazz chord movement requires more precision than many choirs expect, especially in the transitional moments.

Program this alongside other Great American Songbook standards to build a cohesive set that demonstrates your choir's range and maturity. It works particularly well in spring concerts or recitals where a lighter repertoire balance is welcome after heavy winter programming. The piece's modest page count makes it ideal for mixed-genre programs where you need a substantial vocal jazz selection that doesn't overshadow concert flow.

• Singing jazz harmony and chord changes without instrumental support
• Executing expressive rubato and flexible pulse as an ensemble
• Reading and balancing polyphonic textures in a cappella settings
• Blending and intonating in tertian and extended jazz harmonies
• Interpreting stylistic nuance in popular song repertoire