The Skye Boat Song is a Scottish folk song that tells the story of how Prince Charlie escaped from a defeat in battle by disguising himself as a serving maid and sailing away on a boat. The lyrics describe the aftermath of his defeat in battle and refer to the Claymore, which is a Scottish sword, and Culloden’s Field, the battlefield where Prince Charlie’s defeat occurred in 1746.

Commissioned by Jonathan Bautista and Nova Vocal Ensemble, this arrangement reharmonizes the traditional folk song with a contemporary twist and features an SATB choir and featured Tenor solo. This arrangement would work well for any a cappella high school, college, or community choir looking for modern arrangements of traditional folk songs.

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