Brass Quintet Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1251231
Composed by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman and Dan Russo. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. 20th Century,Comedy,Pop,Standards,Traditional. 37 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #845507. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.1251231).
This song starts with the narrator/lyricist saying that he overheard a guy at the train station trying to say farewell to his girl. The guy would kiss her, bid her adieu, get on the train, then get off and do the whole thing over again. And, he did this seven times! What would he say to her each time? He’d tell her that he’s leaving, that she shouldn’t cry, that he’ll write and that if she does not hear from him she should assume he’s been arrested. What a romantic line!
Anyway, that’s the gist of the “Toot, Toot, Tootsie!” lyrics. Credited to Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman and Dan Russo, New York City’s Leo Feist, Inc. first published this upbeat, leave-taking song in 1922. It had been one of 29 numbers featured in the 1921 Broadway production Bombo, a vehicle designed to showcase the talent of Al Jolson. Six years later Jolson sang it in The Jazz Singer, generally recognized as the first sound feature film. Additionally, all three composers, plus Ted Fio Rito and Eddie Cantor, also made early and very popular recordings.
This bubbly, cheerful arrangement opens in the key of F major with a suggested tempo of 120 BPM. After an 8-measure introduction, the piece goes right to the familiar chorus with Trumpet 1 and Trombone switching leads and ending with a wonderful Fillmore-style smear. The tempo then slows dramatically for a somewhat pensive interpretation of the verse, the narrator’s observations, Horn and Trumpet 1 alternating the lead. At measure 67 the chorus repeats faster than ever, a recommended 132 BPM, as Trombone and the two Trumpets take turns with the melody. This leads right into a repeat of the verse—this time played at full speed—and a change of key to D-flat major. Trombone and Tuba play in unison, exchanging the melody with Trumpets, right on into the third go-round of the chorus. The piece wraps up with a vaudeville-style conclusion and eventually fades away. (But don’t miss Trombone's four-measure reference to “Charlottetown Is Burning Down/Goodbye, Liza Jane” at measure 141.)
Lots of fun!
Completed in 2023, performance time at the suggested tempo runs about 2 minutes, 47 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge. He would like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms. For more arrangements by Les, enter Sweetwater Brass Press (without the quotation marks) in the Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct search box.
