José Embala O Menino - Canção De Embalar
Traditional

This is a Portuguese lullaby dating from the early 1500's. I first heard this in an exquisite recording by Montserrat Figueras from an album called Ninna Nanna: Lullabies (1500-2002). Translated as 'Joseph rocks the infant' it describes how Joseph rocks the baby Jesus because Mary is busy washing clothes. It is one of the few instances in any art form where Joseph and Jesus are depicted in this way.

I keep very close to Montserrat Figueras's arrangement with a reedy synthesizer carrying the melody, accompanied by a simple but rich chord structure.

2010.
live recording (direct from desk)
Single take with no overdubs.

Montserrat Figueras version
Version collected by Michel Giacometti in Monsanto, Idanha a Nova