Brass Ensemble - Level 3 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.808698
Composed by Frank Loesser. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Contemporary. Score and parts. 26 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #5290545. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.808698).
Brandon Thomas’ three-act farce, Charley’s Aunt, opened in London in 1892 and was a huge success. It has since been performed and adapted many times. One such adaptation was Where’s Charley? a 1948 Broadway version with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Ray Bolger played the starring role as Charley, and its most memorable number was the second act’s Once In Love With Amy. Every night Bolger would perform the number, then turn to the audience and invite them to sing along with him. They loved it, and Bolger would continue to perform it as his signature act for years even after the play closed.
The rhythmic and melodic nature of Once In Love With Amy seems to lend itself to performance by a brass group. And that’s what inspired this arrangement. All play the eight-measure introduction, while the verse-I caught you, sir, having a look at her as she went strolling by-features Trumpets, Horn and Trombone playing melody while tuba provides tempo and pulse. Then comes the familiar chorus, Once in love with Amy, always in love with Amy. The first time through, Tuba plays melody with the other instruments providing accompaniment. On the second time through, for the first half, Trombone and Tuba play an intricate counterpoint while Trumpets and Horn do a rather smooth swing version of the melody; for the second half, Trombone and Tuba take the melody and Trumpets provide the counterpoint. Then comes the surprise ending in which all three participate.
Most players will have little trouble. The arrangement consists of 77 measures in 4/4 time. There are several tempo changes; the fastest is quarter note equals 108. Key signature is G, changing to F at measure 44. All notes for should be within normal playing range.
Sweetwater Brass Press also offers a similar version of Once In Love With Amy arranged for tuba trio.
This arrangement was completed in 2020, and performance time runs about 2 minutes, 58 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge; contact him directly at lessmith61@bellsouth.net. For more arrangements by Les, enter Sweetwater Brass Press (without the quotation marks) in the SheetMusicPlus search box.
