Dormi, Dormi, O Bel Bambin: SATB & Soprano Solo, a cappella Choral Octavo
Italian Christmas Carol / arr. Robert DeCormier
Item: 00-PO-0002688
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This beautifully expressive and artistic a cappella arrangement of the well-known Italian carol features a soprano solo, luscious harmonies, and a singable text, lulling the Christ child to sleep.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Lawson-Gould Music Publishers
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0002688
More about this title
About the Arranger: Robert DeCormier
Robert DeCormier studied at the Juilliard School and built a career spanning classical conducting, Broadway, and folk music. He served as music director of the New York Choral Society for seventeen years, worked as conductor and arranger with Harry Belafonte, and directed the vocal arrangements for Peter, Paul and Mary from 1978 to 2010. His conducting experience with the Robert DeCormier Singers took him across the United States and Canada in numerous concert tours.
DeCormier taught conducting and ensembles at the Eastman School of Music and later founded Counterpoint, a professional vocal ensemble based in Vermont that performed regionally and conducted high school workshops. His compositions and arrangements span spirituals, folk songs, and choral works, with recordings released on multiple labels including Albany Records. He received the Vermont Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2002 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Choral Arts Foundation in 2006.
Why we love this
DeCormier's arrangement captures the intimacy of a lullaby while giving your choir genuinely singable lines and rich harmonic support. The soprano solo creates a natural focal point that allows you to feature a soloist without overshadowing the ensemble sound, making this a standout choice for holiday programming when many directors are hunting for pieces that feel both special and manageable.
What to expect
This arrangement wraps the listener in warmth and quietness, like standing in candlelight. The lush four-part harmony and flowing soprano line create an atmosphere of devotion and tenderness that feels both timeless and intimate.
Who it's for
Choirs with at least one accomplished soprano soloist and solid blend in the SATB sections will find this piece rewarding. It works well for groups seeking a sophisticated but accessible carol that avoids arrangements requiring orchestral accompaniment or elaborate staging.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the soprano solo carefully so it rises above the chorus without the SATB voices receding into accompaniment; rehearse the solo line separately first, then gradually add harmonies underneath.
- Shape the phrases with a consistent gentle legato that honors the lullaby character; avoid sharp attacks or overly bright vowels that would contradict the piece's intimate mood.
- Let the a cappella texture breathe naturally by observing rests completely and resetting breath support between phrases rather than carrying tension through the silence.
How to use it
Use this as a centerpiece carol in a concert built around quieter, introspective holiday music, or pair it with other a cappella sacred repertoire to create a cohesive choral set. Its beauty makes it equally effective as a finale or as part of a mixed carol program where its expressive quality provides contrast to more rhythmically energetic pieces.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining legato line through longer phrases without breath support collapse
- Balancing solo voice against harmonic backdrop in a cappella texture
- Blending treble and lower voice parts to create unified harmonic resonance
- Shaping rubato and phrasing within a lullaby context