Mary's Little Boy Child
Jester Hairston (arr. Larry Kerchner)
General Info
Year: 1986 / 2018
Duration: c. 2:20
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Arrangers Publishing Company
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $75.00 | Score Only (print) - $10.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bells
- Congas (or Bongos)
- Drum Set
- Maracas
- Triangle
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
This upbeat song with its calypso rhythm and tropical melody will bring a buoyant and happy feel throughout the holidays. This cheerful arrangement of the hit made famous by Harry Belafonte will provide a nice programing contrast for holiday concerts.
- Program Note from publisher
Mary's Boy Child is a 1956 Christmas song, written by Jester Hairston. It is widely performed as a Christmas carol. Walter Schumann, at the time conducting Schumann's Hollywood Choir, asked Hairston to write a new Christmas song for his choir. Hairston remembered the calypso rhythm from his 1956 birthday song He Pone and Chocolate Tea, and he wrote new lyrics for it.
Harry Belafonte heard the song being performed by the choir and sought permission to record it. It reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1957, and has since sold over 1.19 million copies there.
- Program Note adapted from Wikipedia
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Royal Oak (Mich.) Concert Band (Kevin R. Czarnik, conductor) - 15 December 2019
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Amen (arr. Cofield) (1972)
- Elijah Rock (arr. Erickson)
- Jester Hairston Calypso Christmas (arr. Whitcomb) (1971)
- Mary's Boy Child (arr. Sparke) (1956/2003)
- Mary's Little Boy Child (arr. Kerchner) (1956/2018)
Resources
- Mary's Boy Child, Wikipedia Accessed 13 January 2021
- Perusal score