Review

Neil Diamond
Sweet Caroline:

Arranged by Robert Coil

Trombone Quintet: Five trombones: 4 tenor, 1 bass trombone, optional piano, bass, drums

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Publisher: Polished Brass
Date of Publication: 1969 / 2021
URL: http://www.polished-brass.com

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 5 trombones

Trombonist Bob Coil has skillfully arranged the Neil Diamond classic, Sweet Caroline for trombone quintet with optional piano, bass, and drums. Neil Diamond scored one of the biggest hits of 1969 with the release of Sweet Caroline, also subtitled Good Times Never Seemed So Good. Over the years he has attributed the inspiration of the song to various sources; however, Diamond most recently ascribed the title, and recurring three-syllable lyric, as being inspired by a magazine cover photo of the young Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F. Kennedy.

This trombone quintet arrangement adheres closely to the structure of the 1969 single release version that was arranged by Charles Calello; however, that original version in B major has been transposed here to the more trombone-friendly key of B-flat major. A pleasant feature of this version is that the melody is variously played by each of the four tenor trombone parts. Though the arrangement is scored for four tenors and one bass trombone, it will also work well with a bass trombone playing the trombone 4 part. This relatively brief arrangement is not overly taxing in terms of range or endurance, suitable for a variety of programs. The trombone 1 part spans from c up to c2; however, in general, it is comfortably in the mid-register and features only one eight-bar phrase in the second chorus which ascends to a c2 as a lead line. The workhorse in this arrangement is the bass trombone as it has no rest and no melodic content, just a bass line throughout, though the range is friendly from a BB-flat to f in the staff, with the majority of the part lying in the trigger register.

This classic bit of Americana has had a long and enduring life as an audience participation anthem of sorts that is frequently performed in sporting venues, with long traditions associated with the Boston Red Sox, Carolina Panthers, and several collegiate teams. The arranger gives a nod to that tradition by sparsely notating optional lyrics in those appropriate moments. This lighthearted, enjoyable arrangement is a nice addition to the repertoire and will make a fun addition to any concert.