Sample played by Burning River Brass

10063 – Sing Lullaby

Traditional Basque

Arranged by Roger Harvey for Solo Soprano and Brass Tentet

Difficulty: Easy

Price: £20

Programme note:
The Basque region of Spain has strong tradition of folk music and includes some particularly characteristic Christmas tunes. This melody has become well-known through a rather sentimentally harmonised version but this version more of a folk feel overlaid with some simple counterpoint.
The words tell not just of the peaceful Nativity scene at the birth of Jesus but also of the Easter story.

Performance notes:

Play gently and sensitively throughout, keeping a legato, cantabile line.

Make sure that the melodic phrases are clearly heard, keeping the drone-like accompaniment subtle.
Particularly, gently bring out the marked solo sections as they pass from voice to voice.
Do not play forcefully at the louder dynamics, keep the sound warm and tender. Bar 33: allow a little air after the quavers in the accompaniment to give a gentle, rocking lilt.
Be very careful not to cover the voice in verse 3. If this is not practical (perhaps due to a light treble voice being used, tacet the voice during these bars and come back in either at E or in the 3rd bar of E.

The solo line can be played by a flugel if there is no soprano available.