“Hey, Wait a Minute” Waltz, opus 68
featuring the music of:
Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven
as arranged by Neal Corwell
Instrumentation: solo euphonium, trombone, cello, or bassoon, with piano and/or percussion accompaniment. Instrumentation is flexible in that the soloist may be accompanied by only piano, or only percussion, or by both piano and percussion. All three parts, piano, percussion, and solo, are provided.
Copyright: 2015
Duration: 3:30
Range: F to c-2
Difficulty: III
Publisher: Nicolai Music
Price: $20 for solo with piano. Optional percussion part is also included
Other Info: Premiered July 18, 2015 by Dr. Corwell, accompanied on piano by his wife Kathryn. During the premiere, Neal played both the euphonium and, simultaneously, the optional percussion. This was accomplished by means of a series of foot pedals. It is expected that most will perform the piece with the assistance of a percussionist. Only one performer is needed to cover the percussion part.
TO PURCHASE
This humorous arrangement is based primarily on Chopin’s famous Minute Waltz, but other unexpected themes are also thrown into the mix, hence the title “Hey, Wait a Minute” Waltz. The opening motive from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 is featured prominently, as is Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker Suite. Instrumentation is flexible in that the soloist may be accompanied by only piano, or only percussion, or by both piano and percussion.
Although several different percussion instruments are utilized, only one percussionist is required to cover the percussion part. It is expected that the soloist will be assisted by a percussionist, but, as an added twist, the soloist may decide to cover the percussion part while simultaneously performing the solo part. Although doing so is challenging, it can be accomplished through the use of a series of foot pedals. Dr. Corwell presented the piece in this manner for the premiere, performing both solo and percussion parts at the same time. The investment in specialized percussion equipment is necessary to pull off such a feat, plus some practice time will be needed to develop the necessary coordination. However, judging from the reaction of the audience during the premiere performance, the final effect of watching the soloist playing the percussion is quite amusing and may, for some, make the investment of time and money well worth it.