FIRST SUITE IN E FLAT for Military Band

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A CORNERSTONE IN THE CONCERT BAND REPERTOIRE. MVMT. I- CHACONNE, II- INTERMEZZO, III- MARCH. WRITTEN BY GUSTAV HOLST IN 1909. PERFORMED MY SOPH YR., TMEA ALL STATE CONCERT BAND. HIS 'SECOND SUITE IN F' (NEXT) IS LONGER AND CONSIDERED MORE DIFFICULT

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Symphonic Band Performances

Contemporary band compositions, classical music arrangements, marches, jazz, symphonies, overtures. A collection from bands that I have played in throughout hi

Hello and welcome! "Symphonic Band Performances" is a compilation of recordings from several high school and college bands that I played in including the TMEA (Texas) All State Band, the TMEA Region X All Region Band, the Interlochen Arts Academy National Music Camp, the Cal Poly Tech Band, San Luis Obispo, the USAF Golden West Band, and recordings from my h.s. band, Beaumont H.S. and a few band recordings that were passed down to me. Also included are various All State groups and college and university bands. I participated and played in the large majority of these recordings. There are no professional recordings here and every recording is Public Domain. Most are available for free download. Each song has been converted from the original analog or digital source and edited with Audacity or Dak software. In the majority of these recordings, I play the tenor sax or alto sax, b flat or e flat clarinet, or directing. I was drum major for 2 years in high school, I have a BA from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where I studied music ed, composition and theory. I had about 500 more recordings I was planning to digitize and upload, but this past Nov. 20th, my home was completely destroyed by fire, and all the contents, including all my music and instruments. So, this is it. Please feel free to post a comment here or on my member page. If you like, please become a fan by clicking "I'm a fan" below.

Song Info

Genre

Classical • Symphonic

Charts

Peak #40

Peak in subgenre #1

Rights

public domain

Uploaded

April 14, 2009

Track Files

MP3

MP3 13.8 MB • 192 kbps • 10:04

Story behind the song

The "First Suite in E-flat major for Military Band" (Op. 28, No. 1) is a cornerstone in the concert band repertoire. This piece, along with its sister piece, "Second Suite in F for Military Band", was written by the prominent British composer Gustav Holst. Aside from these two suites, Hammersmith and A Moorside Suite were his only band works. First Suite, as it is informally called, was written for a full military band in 1909. During this time of band music, the repertoire was almost exclusively transcriptions from orchestral works. Holst's First and Second Suites are two of the very few works for concert bands that have been transcribed for orchestra.																		The First Suite has three movements, each with its own character and form. The complete composition is based upon a 8-measure melody reminiscent of English folk song; however, the tune is original to Holst.
Most notably, the theme statement that initiates the first movement is developed throughout each movement. Its variations range in style from lyrical to playfully rhythmic to ornamentally embellished.
Movement 1: "Chaconne"
This movement, in 3/4 time, is based upon an 8-measure melody initiated by the low brass which repeats sixteen times throughout the piece. This form is synonymous with a passacaglia; both terms are often used interchangeably. The rhythm of the theme with its half note-quarter note and quarter note-half note rhythm is believed to be based upon medieval English carols; the "Agincourt Song" from 1415 in particular bears a strong resemblance.
Holst uses many colorful effects to vary the chaconne theme. These include "band hits" (synonymous with the popular term "orchestra hits") in the brass and percussion outlining the notes of the theme while the woodwinds play virtuosic sixteenth-note runs. The whole passage is marked brilliante or "brilliantly." Exactly following this is a famous low brass excerpt where they play an eighth-note line based again on the notes of the theme. This section is marked pesante or "heavily" which sharply contrasts with the material directly before.
Following this are more interesting variations using mostly combinations of solo instruments including a solo horn, duet between flute and oboe, and solo alto saxophone. This section eventually develops into a minor key.
Two of the repetitions, the tenth and eleventh, are an inversion of the theme. Here the mood changes drastically with a funeral march like feel with the dynamics exceptionally soft. The bass drum and tuba emphasize a hemiola rhythm while a solo euphonium plays the inversion in a minor key. The twelfth, the theme played a third higher, is a famous trombone soli that hints at Holst's earlier years as a trombone player. Then a crescendo poco a poco extends over two more repetitions of the theme. At the height of the crescendo, more hemiola in the brass and saxophones is used to heighten the harmonic interest.
The climax is at the top of the crescendo with the theme being stated in almost all of the low instruments. The higher instruments play soaring counterpoint lines, all of which is marked ff. The final repetition, stated in the trombones and low trumpets/cornets (an unusual combination for its day) is transposed up a fifth, chromatically altered, and extended. The movement ends with the trombones and trumpets/cornets playing against the rest of the band playing on beats one and two while the rest of the band is striking sustained chords on the third of each measure. Holst, in the final chord, interestingly drops out all of the bass voices from the band leaving a very brilliant sounding chord with high concert B-flats in the flutes, piccolos, and trumpets/cornets. This powerful coda is difficult to play well, but has very high emotional impact when it is.
Movement 2: "Intermezzo"
Nearly all of this movement is devoted to a rhythmic and well-articulated oboe, clarinet and cornet soli. The exploitation of wind band tone colour combinations fl

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