The First Shoot

ballet for the Cochran revue Follow the Sun

LOST

General Information – Instrumentation – Manuscript – Publication – Arrangements – Recordings

General Information:

Composition:  1935

First Performance:  Monday, 23 December 1935. Opera House, Manchester. Resident orchestra, Francis Collinson conductor. Claire Luce, Nick Long, Jr. principals; Cecil Beaton scene, costumes; Charles B. Cochran producer, director.

Duration:  About 10 minutes

Dedication:  To Charles B. Cochran

C. Number:  C29

Instrumentation:

Walton's exact instrumentation is unknown. Stewart Craggs reports in his catalogue that the conductor of the premiere, Francis Collinson, recalled the following as a possible instrumentation:

1 (or possibly 2) flutes, oboe, 4 clarinets (doubling saxophones) – 2 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones – timpani, percussion – harp (?) – strings

Manuscript:  There is no known surviving manuscript of this work.

Publication:  This work has never been published in its original form.

Arrangements:

• Medley for Brass Band (1979–80)
  Incorporates music from The First Shoot. Later reworked into the brass band arrangement of that work, listed below.
  
  
• The First Shoot, for brass band (1980)
  • The First Shoot, transcribed for orchestra by Christopher Palmer (c.1991)
  • Arranged for concert band by Ray Farr (c.2001)

   

• Three Pieces, arranged for clarinet and piano, by Christopher Palmer
  • Publication: Oxford University Press. Included in William Walton: A Clarinet Album, 019 3593823.
                [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: A Clarinet Album]

Recordings:

This work has never been recorded in its original form.  For recordings of this music, see the following arrangements:

• The First Shoot, for brass band (1980)
• The First Shoot, transcribed for orchestra (arr. Palmer, c.1991)

WilliamWalton.net – Catalogue of Works – Ballet