I tried out Ben parry’s arrangement of Take That’s Greatest Day with my school’s chapel choir as part of some light-hearted warm-ups and they loved it, as did adult singers from my choral society. This is music that is unashamedly fun to sing.
Amy Winehouse’s Rehab is similarly appealing and went down extremely well as a music staff item in the chapel choir’s evening talent show. This set of arrangements reflects Ben Parry’s vast experience as a conductor, singer, composer and arranger, working with groups ranging from the Swingle Singers to London Voices. I imagine the most potential users will dip into this set of arrangements, choosing some songs which might be already familiar, such as Freddie Mercury’s hypnotic Someone to Love or Duffy’s Mercy, which makes effective use of close position triads in a gospel style.
The editorial notes state that ‘All pieces are written for soprano and alto, with an optional third part of limited range for baritone or low alto.’ The arrangements will be ideal for choirs with a plethora of high voices, but will certainly benefit from the richness added by the third part…I really enjoyed playing through all the accompaniments, in which every note counts. They are indeed ‘straightforward yet imaginative’.
Music Teacher Magazine, January 2011