Although originally composed for cornet and piano, this arrangement was produced as a direct request from Roger Webster. The composer, Böhme (himself a cornet player), was a devotee of Felix Mendelssohn whose style he frequently emulated. Arranger Ralph E. Pearce has significantly expanded Böhme's rudimentary accompaniment by adopting some of Mendelssohn's motifs in similar pieces.

 

The music essentially consists of three contrasting sections. After a short introduction a virtuosic tarantella-like theme appears. This is followed by a more lyrical section, after which the tarantella theme appears. This leads to an exciting coda, which brings the piece to flourishing close.  

 

La Napolitaine is the opening track on Roger Webster's solo CD, entitled Webster's Choice, accompanied by the CWS (Glasgow) Band (Polyphonic QPRL099D).