Killing Me Softly — Orchestra & Choir Sheet Music
The Grammy-winning classic by Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel, arranged for full orchestra and SATB choir by Paul Lorenz
In November 1971, a nineteen-year-old girl sat in a Los Angeles nightclub, listened to a singer who reached “right inside her world,” and scribbled notes on a napkin — and from those notes came one of the most recorded songs in history. Roberta Flack’s 1973 recording won the Grammy for Record of the Year. The Fugees’ 1996 revival debuted at •1 in Germany. And now, for the first time, the song that has moved three generations of audiences is available as a professional, concert-ready full orchestra and SATB choir arrangement — the only one of its kind.
Professional conductors programming a pops night, a tribute concert, or a crossover gala face a persistent problem: the existing sheet music market for this title offers piano solos and choral octavos, but nothing for the podium. This arrangement fills that gap with a complete score and parts package built to MOLA engraving standards — 8.5mm staves, measure numbers at every system, page turns placed where your musicians can actually breathe — ready for the stand the moment you download it.
Choose your “Killing Me Softly With His Song” edition
Orchestra & Choir
€49.90The complete professional edition: full conductor’s score plus every individually extracted instrumental and choral part — ready for distribution to your ensemble on the day you download.
- Instant PDF download
- Secure checkout
- Licensed for performance
Also available for your ensemble
Prefer a different scoring? “Killing Me Softly With His Song” is also published as:
Quality in detail
- MOLA-Compliant Engraving: 8.5mm staff size and 600 DPI resolution — every stand, every distance, crystal clear.
- Complete Parts Package: Every instrument extracted and proofread individually. No missing pages, no surprises at rehearsal.
- Intelligent Page Turns: Rest points and thin textures used throughout — conductors and players can turn pages without breaking the phrase.
- Instant PDF Delivery: Download immediately after purchase via PayHip — available at midnight before a Monday rehearsal.
- Grammy-Winning Legacy: Orchestration built from Roberta Flack’s 1973 lush string palette — the emotional character of the original, faithfully rendered.
- Bespoke Customization Available: Need a saxophone instead of clarinet, or a reduced scoring for a chamber ensemble? Contact Paul Lorenz directly.
Killing Me Softly With His Song sheet music at a glance
| Song | Killing Me Softly With His Song — Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel, 1971; a Grammy winner for Roberta Flack (1973) and a worldwide hit again for The Fugees (1996) |
| Arrangement | Full orchestra with SATB choir |
| Arranger | Paul Lorenz — arrangements recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road |
| Scoring | Full conductor’s score (A3, approx. 49 pages) plus every individual orchestral and choral part |
| Key | F minor |
| Difficulty | Grade 4–5 — semi-professional to professional orchestras |
| Format | High-resolution 600 DPI PDF — instant download, print- and tablet-ready |
| Licensing | Licensed arrangement — a performance license is included; standard PRO reporting applies (GEMA/AKM/SUISA in German-speaking territories, ASCAP/BMI/PRS elsewhere) |
| Price | €49.90 |
Is this edition right for you?
This is the only professional orchestral setting of a song three generations of audiences already know by heart — a natural centrepiece or closer. This edition is written for:
- Pops and crossover concerts looking for a familiar, emotionally direct anchor
- Tribute and gala programmes honouring Roberta Flack or the soul songbook
- Orchestras with a resident SATB choir ready for Grade 4–5 material
- Conductors who want a podium-ready score, not a piano reduction or choral octavo
Need a transposition or a different voicing? Paul Lorenz adapts it on request — just ask before you buy.
What you receive
- The full conductor’s score in A3 format (approx. 49 pages)
- Every orchestral part — strings, woodwinds, brass, timpani and percussion, piano — plus all four SATB choir voices, individually extracted
- High-resolution PDFs, delivered instantly and yours to keep — no rental
Programming Killing Me Softly With His Song
Built from the lush string palette of Roberta Flack’s 1973 recording while drawing on the rhythmic drive of the 1996 revival, this arrangement rewards a patient, unhurried reading — let the strings breathe and the choir carry the refrain. It sits beautifully as the emotional high point late in a programme, where the shared recognition in the room does much of the work for you. Pair it with other soul and pop standards for a tribute set, or set it against orchestral showpieces so its intimacy lands all the more sharply. The immaculate cueing and system-by-system measure numbers keep rehearsal time short. Explore the related arrangements below to build the rest of the programme.
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Killing Me Softly With His Song sheet music — frequently asked questions
What exactly is included in the download?
You receive a complete, performance-ready package: the full conductor’s score in A3 format (approximately 49 pages), all individual orchestral parts (strings: Violin I, II, Viola, Cello, Contrabass; woodwinds: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon; brass: Horns, Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba; Timpani & Percussion; Piano), and all four SATB choir parts — all delivered as 600 DPI PDF files optimized for screen and professional printing.
What is the difficulty level and required ensemble size?
This arrangement is Grade 4–5, designed for semi-professional to professional orchestras. The choral writing is accessible to experienced SATB ensembles with solid sight-reading abilities. If your ensemble differs from the full scoring, contact us — we offer bespoke reduced-instrumentation versions.
Does this arrangement follow the Roberta Flack or Fugees version?
The orchestration draws primarily from Roberta Flack’s Grammy-winning 1973 original in F minor — its lush string palette, soul phrasing, and emotional arc — while incorporating the rhythmic energy that made the Fugees’ 1996 recording a worldwide •1 hit, including its landmark debut at the top of the German charts.
Is a performance license included — what about GEMA in Germany?
A performance license is included with your purchase, covering your ensemble’s use of this arrangement in live performance. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, ensembles performing this work publicly are additionally required to report performances to GEMA under their standard blanket license — this is a routine obligation handled by most concert venues. Your purchase covers the mechanical reproduction rights for printing and distributing parts to your ensemble.
Can the arrangement be customized for a smaller ensemble?
Absolutely. Paul Lorenz Music offers bespoke customization services unique in the industry — alternative instrumentation, reduced scoring, transpositions, or adjustments to accommodate your specific roster. Contact us directly to discuss your requirements before or after purchase.