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23680651
Both Sides Now
23680651
23680651
23680651
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Chorus Choir (TTBB) - Level 4 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1849392
By Dion. Composed by Joni Mitchell. Arranged by James Rohn. This edition: pdf. 20th Century, A Cappella, Barbershop, Folk, Jazz. 7 pages. James Rohn #1409072. Published by James Rohn (A0.1849392).Creating a TTBB (Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, Bass) a cappella arrangement of "Both Sides Now" requires a delicate touch. Since Joni Mitchell wrote this song as a meditation on the shifts in perspective that come with age, the arrangement should feel like an evolving conversation.
Here is a description of a custom arrangement designed to capture that introspective magic.
The Arrangement Concept: "The Prism of Time"
This version leans into the folk-jazz roots of the song while utilizing the rich, resonant textures of a male vocal ensemble. It avoids "barbershop" clichés in favor of lush, modern choral harmonies.
1. Movement I: The Dream (Verses 1 & 2)
Texture: Light and ethereal.
The Lead: Tenor 1 carries the melody with a "floaty," vulnerably high placement.
The Backup: Tenor 2 and Baritone provide rhythmic "plucking" sounds (staccato dm-dm) to mimic the acoustic guitar of the 1969 original.
Harmonic Feel: Open fourths and fifths to create a sense of wide-open skies and "angel hair" clouds.
2. Movement II: The Reality (Verse 3)
Texture: Grounded and homophonic (everyone singing the same rhythm).
The Lead: The melody drops into the Baritone or Bass range to represent the "older" perspective found in Joni's 2000 orchestral re-recording.
The Backup: The upper tenors provide a "wash" of sound using sustained vowels (ooh and ah), creating a cinematic, string-like backdrop.
Harmonic Feel: Denser, "crunchy" jazz chords (major 7ths and 9ths) to signify the complexity and "schemes" of adulthood.
3. The Chorus: The Revelation
The Hook: On the line "I've looked at clouds/love/life from both sides now," the arrangement blooms into full four-part harmony.
Dynamic Shift: A gentle swell (crescendo) on the word "both," followed by a sudden, breathy hush on "now."
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.
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