All of me

John Legend’s tender piano ballad seemed to be following me around in 2014 and 2015, as my then-fiancee and I planned our wedding. On our honeymoon, it was playing everywhere – we even heard a reggae-themed version, complete with steel drums! I arranged it soon afterwards, and whenever my choir sing it, I dedicate it to my wife.

The arrangement involves lots of passing the tune from one part to another, sometimes mid-phrase. Care should be taken to make these transitions as seamless as possible. The dynamics are the key to this song – aim for as much contrast as possible. At a few key moments, the final syllable of a word is “thrown away” – sung at indeterminate pitch (indicated by a cross notehead in the score). The verses should have a conversational style, contrasting with the lovely sustained lines of the chorus.