Description
La Paloma for Big Band
About La Paloma for Big Band
La Paloma for Big Band (The Dove), is a traditional Spanish song by the Basque composer, Sebastian Yradier around 1860.
It has become one of the most known and performed songs in the history of music.
Set in a Latin style, this arrangement begins with the melody performed by a trombone soloist and a soft muted solo trumpet.
A trombone soloist then take the melody accompanied by spread arpeggios played by the rhythm section and saxophones.
The saxophones take the bridge and lead to the interlude which is shared between the trombones and trumpets.
A solo trumpet takes the first section on the next chorus accompanied by gently sighing saxophones. A trombone soloist takes over the melody before being joined by the full trombone section.
A harmonised sax section plays the bridge section before handing the interlude over to the piano.
After a brief modulation section, the full band plays the bridge section. Then the arrangement winds down to it’s final soft and subtle moments.
This arrangement requires the ensemble to be able to use vibrato and dynamic contract and balance.
The challenge of this arrangement is in the tonal and expressive demands that it places on the ensemble rather than technical or rhythmic ones.
