Brass Ensemble - Digital Download

SKU: A0.808693

Composed by Edward White. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Contemporary. Score and parts. 39 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #4760441. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.808693).

    On a visit to the Isle of Wight, British composer Edward George White came across an ancient steam locomotive bearing the sobriquet Puffing Billy. Inspired, White wrote the similarly titled Puffin’ Billy in 1952. The tune was recorded by a group labeled Melodi Light Orchestra and was included in the Chappell Recorded Music Library, a collection of tunes that could be used as incidental music in various types of productions. Both British and U.S. producers made use of the library; two stand out. One was BBC’s Children’s Favourites, which adopted Puffin’ Billy as theme music in 1952 and continued its use for 14 years. The second was Captain Kangaroo, a new 8 a.m. weekday children’s program launched by CBS-TV in October 1955 starring Bob Keeshan as the title character. Each episode opened and closed with Puffin’ Billy and would do so until 1974, making it White’s most recognizable composition.
       This brass quintet version follows the 1952 Melodi Light Orchestra recording pretty closely. It retains the key signatures of the original-G to B-flat, then back to G-and the tempo (cut time; half note = 112). Trumpets’ highest note is their A above the staff; trombone has one F above the staff. Tuba’s very last note is G below the staff. The rest is pretty much within normal playing range. Trumpets get somewhat of a workout with chromatic runs in sections E and F. Most will find this an easy piece to play.
   This arrangement was completed in 2019, and performance time runs about 2 minutes, 54 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (e.g., 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. (Also, purchase of this piece entitles you to your choice of another of his arrangements at no charge; send a copy of your purchase receipt directly to him at lessmith61@bellsouth.net.)