Sample played by Burning River Brass

8016 – Sing Lullaby

Traditional Basque

Arranged by Roger Harvey for Brass Octet

Difficulty: Easy

Price: £20.00

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.