The More I See You: SATB divisi, a cappella Choral Octavo

Paul Langford's arrangement captures the warmth and sophistication of this 1945 standard while honoring its jazz heritage. The divisi voicing creates genuine harmonic depth without sacrificing the lyrical beauty that made the original so memorable, giving your singers a chance to inhabit a classic tune with modern choral texture.

Langford's setting wraps you in lush, close harmonies that deepen the song's romantic sensibility. The divisi texture creates an intimate soundscape, like listening to the standard through a haze of warm, sophisticated vocal color that feels both timeless and alive.

This arrangement works best with intermediate to advanced choirs that have experience with jazz idioms and comfortable ensemble blend. Singers need strong intonation skills and the ability to balance divisi writing, making it ideal for select choirs, community vocal groups, or strong high school ensembles.

• Establish the vocal jazz feel from the first rehearsal. The phrasing and rhythmic flexibility that define this style emerge only when singers understand they're navigating swing inflections, not classical legit singing.
• Balance the divisi sections carefully during early rehearsals so all voice parts hear their individual melodic lines. Once singers own their material, blend becomes natural.
• Shape phrases through dynamic contours rather than tempo changes. The arrangement's harmonic movement is rich enough to carry the song forward without rubato.

Program this as a feature on a mixed concert or as part of a standards-focused set. Its length (12 pages) makes it substantial enough to anchor a segment, and its a cappella format means it transitions easily between larger ensemble pieces without requiring instrumental accompaniment.

• Jazz phrasing and swing articulation
• Singing in divisi SATB texture with independent melodic lines
• Intonation and blend in close harmonies
• Interpreting harmonic complexity across voice parts
• Reading and performing a cappella vocal jazz arrangement