Review

Frederick Neil Innes
The Sea-Shells Waltz: for Trombone and Band

Arranged by Chris Buckholz


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2011 / 2023
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

score and parts

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with band

Frederick Neil Innes was a virtuoso trombonist, bandleader, and composer. He was born in London in 1854 where he lived and worked, performing also at various times in Paris, Boston, and New York. In 1914 he was appointed leader of the Municipal Band in Denver, and in 1923, Head of the Conn National School of Music in Chicago, where he died in 1926.

He wrote this Concert Waltz in 1880 and gave its first performance as a solo with concert band in 1887 as part of a musical challenge he posed to the great French cornetist, Jules Levy, when they were both in New York performing as soloists with the legendary Gilmore band for some summer concerts. Sea-shells can have spiritual and symbolic significance, including inspiration, good luck, strength, and protection from evil spirits; I was not able to discover whether or not the title of this piece may have had any such associations.

This arrangement is scored for Piccolo, Flute, 2 Oboes, Clarinet in E-flat, Solo Clarinet in B-flat, 3 Clarinets in B-flat, Bass Clarinet in B-flat, 2 Bassoons, Alto, Tenor, and Baritone Saxophones, 4 Horns in F, 2 Cornets in B-flat, 2 Trumpets in B-flat, 2 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, 2 Tubas, Contrabass*, and Percussion : 2 parts - Bass Drum/Cymbals and Snare Drum. 33 parts.

*It’s not clear what instrument is indicated by the term ‘contrabass’. The range required is E to c1. There are several possibilities.

The home key is F major. There is a short introduction in 3/8 marked 'Pastorale', an 'Andantino' section in 4/4, a short cadenza for the soloist at m46, then it’s off to the races in 3/4. Waltz 2 kicks in at m128 with a key change to B-flat and Waltz 3 at m196 with a further key change to C major. The Coda begins at m304 with a return to F major, and at m326 there is a highly virtuosic minute and a half long cadenza topping out at c2; this presumably, as they say, blew everyone away, including M. Levy. Waltz 1 is recapitulated at m329. There’s a short cadenza at m359, then a sprint to the finish, with an optional ending including an a1 at m366, otherwise it ends on f1 in m364.

The solo trombone part is given in bass clef throughout, as are the ensemble trombone parts, 1st and 2nd going up to f1. Bass trombone goes down to F.

Chris Buckholz is Associate Professor of Trombone at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.