Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields

I'm in the Mood for Love

I'm in the Mood for Love is today a "standard" song released in 1935. The music was written by Jimmy McHugh, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was introduced by Frances Langford in the film "Every Night at Eight" and released that year. It became Langford's signature song. Bob Hope, who often worked with Langford entertaining troops in World War II, later wrote that her performance of the song was often the show-stopper.

This is one of the most recorded songs out there, from contemporary Billy Eilish to legends such as Luis Armstrong, Vera Lynn and Charlie Parker. The tune started as film music and has later been used in movies such as "The Nutty Professor" and in “The Spike Jones Show”.

Please try to create a "ballroom" atmosphere around this song. It is possible to expand the solo part with more soloists (45 - 69) and you can choose whether you want to let everyone in part 3 play what is written, or let each one improvise. If you have piano or guitar, you can also let the bass line go together with them and cut out the wind parts. Use the score as a starting point to create an instrumentation that suits your ensemble! (Should some parts only be played by woodwind or brass?)

There are quite a few additional notes in the chords. Therefore, balance is very important. Do not let 9ths or other dissonant notes stick out but let them melt into the harmony.