Review

Nathaniel Cleophas Davis
Trombone Francais (sic): Trombone Novelty 1921

Arranged by Aaron Hettinga

Trombone and piano

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and solo part.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

This is a ragtime number, not especially ‘French,’ rather a remembrance of the composer’s wartime service in France. It is not an easy piece; in fact, it’s quite a virtuoso showpiece with a lot of notes, including 42 groups of triplet 16ths. There are also many quick shifts from first or second position to sixth or seventh. There are no rest measures, only a dozen discrete eighth note rests. It abounds in glissandi, 48 altogether, not counting repeats; slide positions are indicated for all of them. The arrangement is in F major, trio section and final chorus in B-flat. Range is c-b-flat¹, optional g or b-flat. I think this piece will probably be most effective on a small or medium-bore trombone. The piano part is of only moderate difficulty.

Douglas Yeo has contributed a biography of the composer from which the following is drawn. He was born in Tennessee in 1888. In June 1917, he was enlisted in a ‘Black Infantry Regiment’ (commanded by white officers), giving his occupation as ‘self-employed band organizer and school teacher.’ He had in fact taught for a time at Fisk University and had founded his own school around 1913. During September - November 1918 his regiment suffered heavy casualties in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in North-Eastern France. He was demobilised in February 1919 and resumed his musical career, conducting several bands and writing and publishing a number of trombone features. He died in Atlanta, Georgia in 1972.

This composer should not be confused with Nathaniel Davis Ayer (1887-1952), who is best known for his ‘hit’ song of 1916, ‘If you were the only girl in the world.’

Aaron Hettinga is a trombonist and arranger based in Western Michigan. Arrangements of other pieces by this composer are available on his website.