"Introduction to a Waltz" is a 1941 swing jazz instrumental by
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...
. The instrumental was featured on two radio broadcasts of the Chesterfield program and was released as a 45 EP single.
Background
The instrumental was composed by Glenn Miller,
Jerry Gray, and Hal Dickinson in 1941. The song was never commercially recorded for Bluebird. Two air checks were issued, one from December 11, 1941, on LPT-6700 from a Chesterfield Broadcast. The other is from March 20, 1942, also from a Chesterfield Broadcast issued on LPT-3001.
[Flower, John. ''Moonlight Serenade: A Bio-discography of the Glenn Miller Civilian Band''. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1972.]
Glenn Miller introduced the instrumental before the performance: "'Introduction to a Waltz' has quite an introduction-–-187 bars to be exact, with 8 bars of 'waltz' near the end of the tune." The performances featured
Billy May
Edward William May Jr. (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for ''The Green Hornet'' (1966), ''The Mod Squad'' (1968), ''Batman'' (with '' Batgirl'' them ...
on trumpet,
Tex Beneke on tenor saxophone,
Chummy MacGregor on piano, and
Moe Purtill
Maurice "Moe" Purtill (May 4, 1916 – March 9, 1994), was an American swing jazz drummer, best known as the drummer for the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1939 to 1942.
Career
Born in Huntington, New York, Purtill dropped out of high school ...
on drums.
"Introduction to a Waltz" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra was also released as a 7" vinyl 45 Extended Play single by RCA Victor as EPBT 3001, ''Glenn Miller Concert'', Vol. 3, a 45 double pack, featuring the March 20, 1942 broadcast version.
The instrumental also appears on the 1953 UK release ''Glenn Miller: A Glenn Miller Concert'', a 24-track set of three 10" LPs, DLP1012/13/21, with picture sleeve, on His Master's Voice, the 1994 album ''The Glenn Miller Orchestra: Real Stereo 1941'' on the Jazz Hour label, the 2002 various artists collection ''Swing Era Big Band'' on Frémeaux/Frémeaux & Associés, on the 2011 album ''75 Glenn Miller Masterpieces'' by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra on Sepia as 1165, and the 2003 album ''Swinging Miller Thrillers'' by The Glenn Miller Orchestra on Jasmine Records.
Other Recordings
Jerry Gray and his Orchestra released a version of the instrumental backed with "V Hop" in 1951 as a Decca 45, 27869, and as a 78, from the album ''A Tribute to Glenn Miller'', Decca DL 5375. Larry O'Brien and the Glenn Miller Orchestra also recorded the instrumental on the 2006 album ''Steppin' Out''. The Jack Million Band also recorded the instrumental on their album ''In the Mood for Glenn Miller, Volume 1'' in 2006.
References
Sources
* Flower, John. ''Moonlight Serenade: A Bio-discography of the Glenn Miller Civilian Band''. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1972.
* Simon, George Thomas. ''Glenn Miller and His Orchestra''. New York, NY: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1974.
* Simon, George T. ''Simon Says: The Sights and Sounds of the Swing Era, 1935-1955''. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1971.
* Simon, George T. ''The Big Bands''. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1967.
External links
Online version. Archive.org. "Introduction to a Waltz", track 2.
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Glenn Miller songs
1941 songs
Instrumentals
Jazz compositions
Songs with music by Jerry Gray (arranger)