What A Wonderful World: Choral Instrumental Pak
By Bob Thiele / By George David Weiss / As performed by Louis Armstrong / Arranged by Mark Brymer
Item: 35-PK00139120
$30.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Louis Armstrong's inspirational ballad of hope for a better world. Quite suitable for both concert and pop ensembles. Duration: ca. 2:20.
What A Wonderful World: Choral Instrumental Pak isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00139120
More about this title
About the Composer: Bob Thiele
Bob Thiele was a prolific songwriter and music producer whose career spanned decades in jazz, pop, and standards. He co-wrote "What A Wonderful World" with George David Weiss, crafting a melody and lyric that became one of the most enduring expressions of optimism in American popular song. Thiele's gift for accessible, emotionally direct songwriting made him a key figure in shaping the Great American Songbook.
Why we love this
Mark Brymer's arrangement respects the song's fundamental warmth while giving choral ensembles the tools to deliver it with genuine presence. The combo voicing keeps things lean and singable, meaning your singers can focus on the lyrical meaning rather than navigating complex voice leading. It's a piece that works equally well as a closing number for a spring concert or as an opener that sets an emotional tone for the entire program.
What to expect
Warm and genuinely hopeful, without a trace of sentimentality. The melody unfolds like a gentle conversation, and the harmonies reinforce a sense of quiet confidence about the world and our place in it. This is a ballad that asks singers to believe what they're singing.
Who it's for
This arrangement suits concert choirs, pop ensembles, and singers of all levels who want to tackle a piece with real heart and commercial appeal. It works equally well for a high school ensemble stepping into standards repertoire or a college group looking for a thoughtful closer. The combo voicing keeps it accessible while the arrangement respects the song's emotional weight.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the melody with long phrases rather than clipping at bar lines. This is a song about hope, and the phrasing should reflect that expansiveness.
- Let the instrumental parts breathe and support without overwhelming the text. The accompaniment is there to enhance the message, not compete with it.
- Balance the choir's dynamics so that the lyric remains the focal point throughout. Resist the urge to push volume as a way to build excitement; instead, let the harmonic progression do the work.
How to use it
Close a concert with this piece and watch the audience sit with it for a moment after the final note. It pairs beautifully with other standards or inspirational material, but also stands alone as a powerful statement. Consider it for spring or end-of-year programs where you want to leave listeners with something affirming.
Skills your students will build
- Singing with legit, sustained phrasing across longer melodic lines
- Balance between ensemble blend and clear text projection
- Expressive use of dynamics and rubato within a ballad context
- Responding to harmonic progression as a guide for emotional shape