A Catalonian Christmas Carol Cover Image

A Catalonian Christmas Carol: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$65.00 USD

A Catalonian Christmas Carol: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: A Catalonian Christmas Carol: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 81-CB11206
Price: 65.00 USD
Availability: InStock

El Noi de la Mare

Traditional Spanish Carol / arr. David Marlatt

Grade: 3

Item: 81-CB11206

$65.00

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This traditional folk song from Catalonia (a region in Spain) has been regularly sung during the Christmas season all over the world. There are also numerous instrumental versions, including notable ones for solo guitar that are very popular. This arrangement begins like the guitar versions---simple, light, and clean. It grows to be more full and sonorous than a guitar ever could, before ending, as it began---peacefully. (2:45)

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Series: Eighth Note Publications

Publisher: Eighth Note Publications

Page Count: 116

ISBN10: 1-55473-684-6

ISBN13: 978-1-55473-684-3

UPC: 685462016853

SKU: 81-CB11206

More about this title

About the Arranger: David Marlatt

David Marlatt has built a reputation for arrangements that respect the character of traditional music while unlocking its potential for modern ensembles. His work across concert band, wind ensemble, and choir demonstrates a deep understanding of how folk material can grow and breathe when orchestrated thoughtfully.

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Why we love this

Marlatt's arrangement captures what makes this carol endure: it honors the melody's folk simplicity while letting the band gradually reveal its fullness. The arc from intimate to sonorous and back again gives conductors a genuinely satisfying shape to conduct, and students experience the power of orchestration and dynamic control without being asked to manage complex harmonic language.

What to expect

The piece opens with the intimate, fingerpicked quality of a classical guitar before gradually filling with color and warmth. As more voices enter and the harmonic palette deepens, the sound swells from understated elegance into something grand and luminous. The return to quietude arrives like a benediction, leaving the band and audience in a space of calm reflection.

Who it's for

Grade 3 bands seeking a concert piece with immediate accessibility and multicultural substance. This works for any band that can hold a steady dynamic and balance parts transparently, making it ideal for mid-level community, school, or university ensembles.

How to get the most out of it

Preserve the transparency of the opening section by resisting the urge to balance ensemble sound too heavily; let the primary melody sing clearly against a light accompaniment.
Shape the dynamic growth carefully across the middle section so the climax feels earned rather than sudden; mark a few key crescendos in rehearsal to ensure the band understands the overall trajectory.
Return to the peaceful final section with genuine restraint; students should feel the contrast between what came before and the gentle resolution.

How to use it

Program this as an opening or closing piece on a holiday concert; its reflective arc suits the contemplative mood of winter programming. It also pairs well alongside other Latin or European folk arrangements, or can anchor a concert segment devoted to traditional carols arranged for different ensembles.