What A Wonderful World: SATB Choral Octavo
What A Wonderful World Sheet Music Preview

What A Wonderful World: SATB Choral Octavo

By Bob Thiele / By George Weiss / As performed by Louis Armstrong / Arranged by Mark Hayes

Item: 35-DS00168171
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Description

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 12
SKU: 35-DS00168171

More about this title

About the Composer: Bob Thiele

Bob Thiele was an American songwriter, composer, and music executive whose career spanned decades in popular music. He co-wrote some of the most recognizable songs in the American songbook, often collaborating with fellow composers to create pieces that transcended genre and generation. His work demonstrates a gift for melody and lyrical simplicity that allows songs to endure far beyond their original context.

Why we love this

Mark Hayes brings his signature warmth and accessibility to this beloved standard without oversimplifying it. The arrangement respects the song's essential optimism while giving each voice section moments to shine, making it rewarding for singers who know the tune and engaging for audiences hearing it fresh. It's exactly the kind of piece that reminds choirs why they sing together.

What to expect

Warm, grounded, and deeply human. The piece carries Armstrong's signature gentleness into four-part harmony, creating moments of genuine uplift without sentimentality. There's quiet strength in the arrangement's simplicity.

Who it's for

This arrangement works for choirs at the intermediate level and above who want meaningful concert or festival repertoire that connects with diverse audiences. High school, college, and community choirs will find it accessible enough to prepare efficiently while offering interpretive depth.

How to get the most out of it

  • Treat the harmonic movement with care in the inner voices; Hayes's voicing reveals beauty in the chord progressions when singers maintain steady intonation through the longer phrases.
  • Balance sentiment with clarity in diction. The lyrics invite tenderness, but crisp consonants ensure the message lands with every listener.
  • Let the sopranos and tenors carry the melodic line confidently while altos and basses provide context. This isn't a piece that hides any voice part.
  • Consider the tempo a vehicle for emotional depth rather than pace. Slight rubato in the verses can deepen the reflection without losing shape.

How to use it

Pair this with other spiritually reflective repertoire for a concert that explores hope and gratitude, or use it as a graduation piece that sends students off with genuine emotion. It also serves well as a festival selection where accessibility and musicality both matter.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing dynamic blend across four voice parts
  • Sustaining legato phrasing over longer harmonic progressions
  • Maintaining intonation stability in slower tempos
  • Connecting emotional intention to textual clarity
  • Reading Hayes's characteristic harmonic language

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