“Geboren um zu leben” — Choir & Piano Sheet Music

The professional SATB choir & piano arrangement of Unheilig’s iconic song — arranged for concert and memorial performance by Paul Lorenz

Abbey Road Studios London Symphony Orchestra Vienna State Opera 500M+ Streams Gold & Double Platinum

In 94 unbroken weeks on the German charts, “Geboren um zu leben” became the song a generation reaches for when words alone are not enough — and the choir that performs it deserves a score equal to the moment. Unheilig’s meditation on grief and the preciousness of life has become one of the most-requested pieces at memorial services, Gedenkfeiern, and commemorative concerts across the German-speaking world. The Paul Lorenz arrangement preserves every emotional nuance of the original recording while giving the SATB choir room to breathe, phrase, and move an audience.

This is not a transcription. The vocal lines are conceived idiomatically for four-part choir, the piano accompaniment is written for the keyboard — not reduced from an orchestral score — and every page turn has been placed with rehearsal time in mind. MOLA-compliant engraving at 8.5mm staff size, 600 DPI resolution, and measure numbers at every system mean your ensemble can focus entirely on the music from the first reading.

Choose your “Geboren um zu leben” edition

Choir & Piano

€39.90

The complete choral edition for conductors and ensemble directors. All six voice and piano files are included in a single download — performance-ready from the moment the PDF opens.

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Quality in detail

MOLA-Compliant Engraving: 8.5mm staff size throughout — legible from the stand for every section of your ensemble, including aging choir members.
Instant PDF Download: Purchase and perform the same day. All six files are available immediately after checkout, with no account required.
600 DPI Master Files: Crisp at any zoom level — print on paper, open on iPad, or share with section leaders without quality loss.
Rehearsal-Efficient Layout: Measure numbers at every system, audible cues in rests, page turns placed around performance logic — not print economy.
Performance License Included: Full legal clarity for concerts, memorial services, and live events. No additional licensing fees for your ensemble.
Bespoke Customization: Need a different key, a simplified tenor line, or a children’s voice addition? Contact Paul Lorenz directly — this service is unique in the industry.

I was handed a printed copy of a generic arrangement three days before the memorial concert — wrong staff sizes, no measure numbers, and a piano reduction that was unplayable in parts. I rebuilt the entire performance from Paul Lorenz’s edition and have never looked back. The score has an honesty to it: the vocal lines breathe the way the original recording breathes. It performed itself. Katharina Böhm, Choral Director, Wiener Singakademie

Geboren um zu leben sheet music at a glance


Song	Geboren um zu leben — Unheilig (Der Graf & Henning Verlage), a modern German classic that spent 94 weeks on the charts
Arrangement	SATB choir with piano accompaniment
Arranger	Paul Lorenz — three decades arranging for concert and memorial performance
Scoring	Conductor score, Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass parts, plus a full piano accompaniment score — six files in all
Difficulty	Grade 3–4 — intermediate to advanced; accessible to well-rehearsed community choirs, rewarding for professional ensembles
Engraving	MOLA-compliant, 8.5mm staff size, measure numbers at every system
Format	High-resolution 600 DPI PDF — instant download, print- and tablet-ready
Licensing	Performance license included; standard PRO reporting (ASCAP/BMI/PRS/GEMA) applies to the venue
Price	€39.90

Is this edition right for you?

This is the piece a choir reaches for when words alone are not enough. This edition is written for:

Memorial services and Gedenkfeiern where the text must land with dignity
Commemorative and anniversary concerts in the German-speaking repertoire
Community and professional choirs with a confident keyboard player
Directors who want a performance-ready score rather than a rough transcription

Need a transposition, a simplified tenor line, or an added children’s voice? Paul Lorenz adapts it on request — just ask before you buy.

What you receive

The full conductor score, engraved for the stand
Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass parts, individually extracted
A complete piano accompaniment score — written for the keyboard, not reduced from an orchestral part
High-resolution PDFs, delivered instantly and yours to keep — no rental

Programming Geboren um zu leben

Place this piece where a programme needs stillness and reflection — often near the close, or as the emotional centre of a memorial concert. Let the piano carry the introduction unhurried, then bring the choir in with room to breathe; the vocal lines are conceived to phrase the way the original recording phrases, so resist the urge to push the tempo. It sits naturally alongside other contemporary German ballads and quieter sacred repertoire, and rewards an ensemble that shapes dynamics with restraint. Explore the related arrangements below to build the rest of the programme.

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Geboren um zu leben sheet music — frequently asked questions

What is included in the download?

You receive six high-resolution PDF files: the Conductor Score, Soprano Part, Alto Part, Tenor Part, Bass Part, and Piano Accompaniment Score — all at 600 DPI, optimized for screen reading and professional printing. A performance license is included with every purchase.

What is the difficulty level?

Grade 3–4: Intermediate to Advanced. The choral writing is accessible to well-rehearsed community choirs and rewarding for professional ensembles. The piano accompaniment (Grade 4) is idiomatically written for keyboard — not a reduction — and requires confident facility with contemporary harmonic language.

Do I need a performance license?

A performance license for your ensemble is included with your purchase. For ASCAP, BMI, or PRS reporting, standard venue licensing applies for ticketed public performances. The arrangement rights are fully covered by your purchase — no separate reporting required for the Paul Lorenz arrangement itself.

Can the arrangement be customized for my ensemble?

Absolutely. Paul Lorenz Music offers bespoke customization — a capability unique in the industry. Whether you need a key transposition, a simplified tenor or bass line, or an additional children’s voice part, we can tailor this arrangement to your exact requirements. Contact us directly to discuss your needs.

What is your refund policy?

Due to the digital nature of our products, we cannot offer refunds once the download has been accessed. We encourage you to review the score preview carefully and contact us with any questions before purchasing.