When Doves Cry: Choral Instrumental Pak
As performed by Prince / Arranged by Mark Brymer
Item: 35-PK00416058
$20.00
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Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| When Doves Cry - Synthesizer: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 | |
| When Doves Cry - Guitar: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 | |
| When Doves Cry - Bass: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 | |
| When Doves Cry - Drums: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 |
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Description
A signature song by Prince and the lead single from his 1984 album "Purple Rain", it was a worldwide hit, and his first American #1 single, topping the charts for five weeks. Ranked #52 on the "Rolling Stone" list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, it is also included in "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's" 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00416058
More about this title
About the Artist: Prince
Prince Rogers Nelson (1958–2016) was a Minneapolis-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer who fundamentally reshaped popular music across funk, R&B, rock, and pop. His technical mastery on multiple instruments and innovative production techniques made him a singular force in 1980s music; he wrote, arranged, and performed nearly all parts on his albums, demanding absolute sonic control. For music educators, Prince represents a model of genre-blending artistry and instrumental literacy that challenges students to think beyond categorical boundaries.
Why we love this
This Mark Brymer arrangement captures the emotional vulnerability and funk sophistication of Prince's original without sacrificing the song's contemporary edge. Choral groups consistently respond to the melodic beauty beneath the groove, and the Instrumental Pak format gives directors flexibility in how they balance voices, instruments, and recorded elements for their specific ensemble.
What to expect
Introspective and yearning, with an undercurrent of propulsive funk that prevents sentimentality from taking over. The arrangement honors the song's original tension between emotional openness and rhythmic sophistication, creating a space where singers can inhabit genuine feeling within a modern groove.
Who it's for
High school and college choirs seeking repertoire that connects with contemporary music culture while maintaining serious musicianship. Directors programming concerts that bridge classical tradition and popular idiom will find this especially useful for engaging audiences and student performers alike.
How to get the most out of it
- Study the recorded version to internalize the syncopated rhythms and tight grooves that define the arrangement; this song lives in the details of pocket and placement rather than in volume.
- Balance the choir's sustained harmonies against any instrumental doubling so the vulnerability of the lyric isn't buried under texture.
- Control dynamics carefully in the verses; the power of this song emerges from restraint before it builds, not from immediate intensity.
How to use it
Consider pairing this with other 1980s-influenced or genre-crossing repertoire to create a thematic set that explores how popular music can serve serious artistic purposes. The song's relative accessibility makes it strong programming for a second-half set that aims to reconnect audiences after more formal repertoire.
Skills your students will build
- Singing contemporary pop and funk idioms with stylistic authenticity
- Maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated, groove-based arrangements
- Balancing sustained harmonic singing against rhythmic instrumental texture
- Expressing emotional nuance through dynamic control and phrasing within a modern context