American composer Charles L. Johnson (1876-1950) published “Iola - Intermezzo/Two-step” for solo piano in 1906 through Remick & Co. It is presented here in an arrangement for the instrumentation of Alford’s “Hungry Five” series of Polka/German band books. In this edition, the melody gets passed back and forth between the various instruments along with a number of other active lines to keep things interesting for players and listeners alike.
While “Iola” shouldn’t feel out of place in context with other Hungry Five pieces, this longer composition allows for a more extended musical statement alongside shorter polka tunes. There are no extreme range requirements in this arrangement, and the technical challenges shouldn’t be out of reach for intermediate players so even fairly young ensembles could include this on a German band performance. Ready to go for your Oktoberfest OomPah gig!
