Noel Nouvelet

Noël Nouvelet (Sing We a New Noel) is a traditional French carol that dates back to the early sixteenth century. The carol is also known by the English translations Christmas Comes Anew, Sing We a Glad Noel and Sing We Now of Christmas.

The familiar dorian melody of this piece is haunting and beautiful. Strive to maintain a dark and lyrical sound in all dynamic ranges; avoid the temptation to overplay the fortissimo sections. Intonation is always critical, but pay close attention to the tuning of the sustained chords beginning in measures 51, 64, 76, 83 and 95. Since these are major chords, allowing the third to be slightly flat (14 cents) will help the chord to resonate more beautifully. Also, do not let these sustained chords crescendo too quickly and cover the underlying rhythmic material.