Try to Remember: SSA Choral Octavo

This arrangement honors the song's theatrical origins while making it genuinely singable for choirs of any size or age. Jay Althouse's touch is light here; the tune remains front and center, but the jazz waltz section gives your singers something to sink their teeth into without overwhelming the text or requiring instrumental expertise to accompany.

Nostalgia wrapped in elegance. The opening melody has the timeless quality of something you've always known, then the jazz waltz section introduces a sophisticated wink, as if the song is sharing a secret with the listener. There's lightness throughout, but also genuine warmth.

This arrangement works for high school and adult treble choirs seeking theatrical repertoire that doesn't require soloists or specialized skills. It's equally at home in a concert of pop choral standards or as part of a Fantasticks-themed program. Singers will recognize the melody immediately, which builds confidence and engagement.

• Shape the opening straightforward section with unhurried phrasing. The melody wants space to breathe, so resist the urge to rush even though the piece is short.
• Let the transition into the jazz waltz feel like a shift in perspective rather than a tempo change. The same tune takes on new color; invite your singers to find freshness in the familiar.
• Balance the SSA texture so the melody line (likely in the soprano) doesn't dominate. Schmidt's harmonies in this song are part of the beauty.
• Use the recorded accompaniment strategically during rehearsal to lock harmonic clarity before moving to full ensemble sound.

Open a concert with this piece to set a reflective, Broadway-tinged tone, or pair it with other Fantasticks arrangements for a full theatrical program. It also serves beautifully as a bridge between classical choral repertoire and pop arrangements, showing singers that great melody transcends genre.

• Sustained legit phrasing in a theatrical context
• Ensemble balance in SSA voicing
• Rhythmic precision in jazz waltz meter
• Stylistic flexibility: moving between straightforward and jazz idioms within one piece