The First Suite in E for Military Band, Op. 28, No. 1, by the British composer

Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...

is considered one of the

cornerstone The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over tim ...

masterworks in the

concert band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion fami ...

repertoire. Officially premiered in 1920 at the Royal Military School of Music, the manuscript was originally completed in 1909. Along with the subsequent Second Suite in F for Military Band, written in 1911 and premiered in 1922, the First Suite convinced many other prominent composers that serious music could be written specifically for band.

Background

Bands first evolved in the military, with the Royal Artillery Band being formed in 1557, but at the turn of the 20th Century the term "military band" was being applied to any ensemble that incorporated woodwinds, brass and percussion, including civilian bands organised by local police, fire brigades, and even industrial firms. The majority of music played by British military bands around this time consisted of popular music and orchestral transcriptions. No serious music had yet been composed specifically for the "military band" medium, there being no standardized instrumentation. Mendelssohn's Overture for band stands out as an early example of a serious work for band which employs a similar instrumentation to that of today's military band. Of course many composers wrote specifically for winds in various combinations throughout history, Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks being a notable example. The lack of a set instrumentation was a major obstacle for composers, in addition to the pervasive belief of some that an ensemble of assorted wind instruments lacked the tonal cohesiveness to produce significant music. The Suite in E was Holst's first composition written for military band.

Frederick Fennell Frederick Fennell (July 2, 1914 – December 7, 2004) was an internationally recognized conductor and one of the primary figures in promoting the Eastman Wind Ensemble as a performing group. He was also influential as a band pedagogue, and gre ...

, in ''Time and the Winds'', observes that Holst's scoring for the work is so well conceived and organised for the band medium, that he must have had some previous experiences with groups of this kind. Indeed, Holst was himself a formidable trombonist, having already performed several seasons with the Scottish Orchestra prior to the composition of the suite. In addition, while still in college, he performed during the summers with various seaside bands, and was admittedly unsatisfied with the music that those ensembles performed. Even though these experiences likely contributed to the composition of the suite, there is no recorded commission for the work, and the reason for Holst's writing of the suite is unknown. In addition to being a serious work written for band, the orchestration of the suite was tailored to handle the inherent challenges of the military band. As there was no standardised instrumentation, Holst scored the suite for 19 instruments, with 17 remaining parts labelled "ad lib.", meaning they were unnecessary for performance. As most British military bands of the day employed between 20 and 30 musicians, the 19 required parts could reasonably be expected to be covered, and the remaining parts could be added or discarded as needed without disturbing the integrity of the work. The First Suite was a catalysing force that convinced many other prominent composers that serious music could be written specifically for the combination of woodwinds, percussion and brass. Works such as the '' English Folk Song Suite'' (1923) of

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

and the ''William Byrd Suite'' (1923) of Gordon Jacob are leading examples. The piece was later arranged for brass band by Sydney Herbert, and this arrangement has been used as a contest set test piece on numerous occasions, including for the British regional brass band championships in 1970, 1983 and 2019.

Structure

The First Suite has three

movements Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...

, each with its own character and form. It is not apparent from the score, but Holst let it be known that the three movements should follow each other without a break. The complete composition is based upon an eight-bar 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: : \new Staff \with \relative c' Its variations range in style from lyrical to playfully rhythmic to ornamentally embellished.

Movement 1: "Chaconne"

: \relative c This movement, in time, is based upon an eight-bar melody initiated by the low brass which repeats sixteen times throughout the piece. The rhythm of the theme with its minim– crotchet and crotchet– minim rhythm is believed to be based upon medieval English carols; the "

Agincourt Song The Agincourt Carol (sometimes known as the ''Agincourt Song'', the ''Agincourt Hymn'', or by its chorus and central words, ''Deo gratias Anglia'') is an English folk song written some time in the early 15th century. It recounts the 1415 Battle o ...

" from 1415 in particular bears a strong resemblance. Holst uses many colourful effects to vary the

chaconne A chaconne (; ; es, chacona, links=no; it, ciaccona, links=no, ; earlier English: ''chacony'') is a type of musical composition often used as a vehicle for variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short rep ...

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 semiquaver runs. The whole passage is marked ''brilliante'' or "brilliantly". Immediately following this is a famous low brass excerpt where they play a quaver 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 variations using mostly combinations of solo instruments including a solo horn, duet between

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...

and

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...

, and solo

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B t ...

. This section eventually develops into a

minor key In Western music, the adjectives major and minor may describe a chord, scale, or key. As such, composition, movement, section, or phrase may be referred to by its key, including whether that key is major or minor. Intervals Some intervals ...

. Two of the repetitions, the tenth and eleventh, are an

inversion Inversion or inversions may refer to: Arts * , a French gay magazine (1924/1925) * ''Inversion'' (artwork), a 2005 temporary sculpture in Houston, Texas * Inversion (music), a term with various meanings in music theory and musical set theory * ...

of the theme: : \relative c Here the mood changes drastically with a funeral march like feel with the dynamics exceptionally soft. The

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...

and

tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...

emphasise a

hemiola In music, hemiola (also hemiolia) is the ratio 3:2. The equivalent Latin term is sesquialtera. In rhythm, ''hemiola'' refers to three beats of equal value in the time normally occupied by two beats. In pitch, ''hemiola'' refers to the interval of ...

rhythm while a solo

euphonium The euphonium is a medium-sized, 3 or 4-valve, often compensating, conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument that derives its name from the Ancient Greek word ''euphōnos'', meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced" ( ''eu'' means "well" o ...

plays the inversion in a minor key. The twelfth repetition, the theme played a third higher, is a famous

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

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 In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependin ...

, 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 In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tra ...

lines, all of which is marked . The final repetition, stated in the trombones and low trumpets/

cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a so ...

s (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 beat of the bar. Holst, in the final chord, drops out all of the bass voices from the band leaving a very brilliant sounding chord with high concert Bs 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"

: \relative c' Nearly all of this movement is devoted to a rhythmic and well-articulated oboe, clarinet and cornet solo. The exploitation of wind band tone colour combinations flavour this movement. While the movement is predominantly light in character, the clarinet has a stirring solo, which is later repeated by other voices: : \relative c' Then, the euphonium (or

alto clarinet The alto clarinet is a woodwind instrument of the clarinet family. It is a transposing instrument pitched in the key of E, though instruments in F have been made. In size it lies between the soprano clarinet and the bass clarinet. It bears a gr ...

) takes us back to the first theme. Finally the second theme is played in a major key while the upper woodwinds play their virtuosic semiquavers, and diminishes to the lowest possible volume.

Movement 3: "March"

: \relative c'' The march is usually played at a march tempo, although many recordings use a faster tempo. It opens with a famous bass drum solo, one of the few in the band literature. It features two primary melodies both very contrasting in style. The first melody is featured exclusively in the brass section in a very marcato manner. The second melody in the mid and low woodwinds, and later the euphonium, baritone saxophone, and bassoon, resembles the melodies of the first two movements and is played in a very legato and lyrical style. Following the completion of the second melody, strains of the first melody and the first four bars can be heard as the movement builds up to the finale. The finale of the march features both melodies layered on top of one another in a musical technique called "simultaneous recapitulation": nearly all the brass playing the second melody in a majestic march style, with the woodwinds playing the first melody and variations of it. The last few bars are very powerful (marked ) and have one of the most famous trombone soli in the band repertoire.

Instrumentation and standard editions

1909 autograph manuscript

The original manuscript, completed in 1909, is housed at the British Library in London. The shelf listing is as follows:

Add. MS 47824. Gustav Holst Collection. Vol. XXI (ff. 37). First Suite in E-flat for military band, op. 28, no. 1, consisting of Chaconne, Intermezzo and March.
909. 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
Full score. Autograph. With various notes on f.1 relating to ad lib. parts, etc. Published by Boosey & Co., 1921, in Boosey's Military Journal, 142nd Series, No. 2. . Holst, no. 105./blockquote> The original title of the suite was simply "Suite in E for Military Band by Gustav von Holst". Holst's birthname had actually been Gustavus Theodore von Holst (he had German, Russian, Latvian and Swedish forebears, although his great-great-grandfather had emigrated to the UK in 1802). He changed his name to Gustav Holst during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
(when German names were unpopular) so that he could be appointed as a volunteer
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
Music Organizer. (The British royal family changed their name from
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (german: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha), or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (german: Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, links=no ), was an Ernestine, Thuringian duchy ruled by a branch of the House of Wettin, consisting of territories in the present- ...
to
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
for a similar reason.) According to the title page of the manuscript, "Suite in E" is scribbled over, with "First Suite in E" written underneath and also above and to the right of the original title. In 1921 Boosey & Co. published the parts and a
piano reduction In music, a reduction is an arrangement or transcription of an existing score or composition in which complexity is lessened to make analysis, performance, or practice easier or clearer; the number of parts may be reduced or rhythm may be si ...
for the suite. It was common practice at this time to not include a full instrumental score.

1948 Boosey & Hawkes full score
The 1948 edition of the First Suite in E was the first since the original Boosey & Co. publication of 1921. With developments in instrumentation in the United States during the two decades following the original published version, there were calls for a newer, more accessible edition. The growing popularity of school band contests resulted in American bands incorporating a wide array of instruments such as the alto and contrabass clarinets, and the baritone and bass saxophones. With more and more bands employing these larger forces, the original version of the First Suite could not be performed as written. In addition, the 1921 edition only had a reduced piano score, and by this time the manuscript had been lost. Albert Austin Harding, longtime Director of Bands at the
University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Uni ...
, suggested that the First Suite be revised to accommodate the growing number of American bands and their modern instrumentation. To facilitate this, a new full score based on the original published parts was produced by
Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and woodwind musical instruments. Formed in 1930 thro ...
. Multiple errors are found in the score that are not shown in the original parts. This new edition contained several modifications: *The flute and piccolo, originally keyed in D, were changed to the key of C, as this was becoming increasingly popular. *The B baritone part was discarded. ::In 1921, at a conference of the Directors of Music of the Navy, Army and Air Force, held at Kneller Hall, it was decided that the B tenor saxophone would officially replace the B baritone. H. E. Adkins states that this was due to baritone's “lack of character and its ineffectiveness.” *In addition to the removal of the baritone, the string bass was also omitted. ::At this time, it is not known why the string bass was removed. It may simply be that school bands did not incorporate it (as is largely the case today). It may also be that, since the string bass was marked ''ad lib'' by Holst, Boosey & Hawkes did not feel the need to include it. *Instruments added to the score included the E alto clarinet, the E baritone and B bass saxophones, B contrabass clarinet, and a set of flügelhorns.

1984 Boosey & Hawkes revised edition (edited by Colin Matthews)
Sometime after the publication of the 1921 edition, the original manuscript was lost. As a result, the only full score available of the First Suite was from 1948 edition, and many conductors struggled with the peculiarities contained therein. It was well known which instruments were additions to the original, but because the 1921 score was only a piano reduction, Holst's original intentions remained unclear. Then, in 1974, the original manuscript was discovered. Frederick Fennell, in a reprint of his 1975 article discussing the suite, states:
Shortly after this initial piece in our Basic Band Repertory series was published, the manuscript of the Suite in E for Military Band surfaced for the first time. The full score always existed and it could have answered all the questions which were raised in my initial study and in the minds of other conductors whose pursuits of definite answers in this has been an equal frustration.
Among the questions raised were those concerning the scoring discrepancies associated with the alto clarinet and baritone saxophone. In light of these realisations, a new, revised score was subsequently prepared by English composer
Colin Matthews Colin Matthews, OBE (born 13 February 1946) is an English composer of contemporary classical music. Noted for his large-scale orchestral compositions, Matthews is also a prolific arranger of other composer's music, including works by Berlioz, ...
, with the assistance of Imogen Holst and Frederick Fennell. This new edition was published in 1984 by Boosey & Hawkes. Matthews knew that a complete return to the scoring of the manuscript would once again limit the accessibility of the work, particularly in the United States, where American bands are still to this day typically larger than their British counterparts. In the introduction to the revised score, Matthews states:
Since the composition of military bands and wind bands in general has changed since 1909, this new edition of the score does not attempt to go back wholly to the original manuscript... The second pair of trumpets and the baritone have been omitted entirely, while the added baritone and bass saxophones have been retained (with some emendations). The additional parts for alto and contrabass clarinets and flügelhorns have been omitted... The omission of the baritone has allowed the euphonium part to be expanded, most notably in the Intermezzo after letter D, and at the beginning of the Finale, where it doubles the 1st cornet at the lower octave.
Matthews also makes modifications to the cornets, trumpets and horns. He writes:
Particular care has been taken to ‘cover’ ad lib parts. Since in the original manuscript all the trumpets were ad lib, the omission of the second pair has not left any serious gaps: indeed the opportunity has been taken to fill one or two that Holst himself left (in the Finale at letter C, for example). Three cornets are essential, but the parts have been adjusted, since Holst, when writing for cornets in three parts tended to write for two second cornets (at the end of the first movement and the Finale the fourth cornet is optional). In the same way he was occasionally careless about the disposition of his four horn parts, and these are now organized so that the third and fourth may safely be omitted.
The three standard versions' instrumentations are listed below side by side for comparison.

1909 autograph manuscript
;Woodwinds: :
Flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...
/
Piccolo The piccolo ( ; Italian for 'small') is a half-size flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" the modern piccolo has similar fingerings as the standard transverse flute, but the s ...
in D :2
Oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...
s (''ad lib'') :2 Clarinets in E (2nd ''
ad lib In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation. The r ...
'') :Solo
Clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...
in B :3 Clarinets in B (first ''ripieno'') :
Bass clarinet The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B (meaning it is a transposing instrument on which a written C sounds as B), but it plays notes an octave ...
in B (''ad lib'') :2
Bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuos ...
s (2nd ''ad lib'') :
Alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B t ...
in E (''ad lib'') :
Tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...
in B (''ad lib'') ;
Brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wi ...
: :2
Cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a so ...
s in B :2 Trumpets in E (''ad lib'') :2 Trumpets in B (''ad lib'') :2 Horns in F :2 Horns in E (''ad lib'') :
Baritone horn The baritone horn, or sometimes just called baritone, is a low-pitched brass instrument in the saxhorn family.Robert Donington, "The Instruments of Music", (pp. 113ff ''The Family of Bugles'') 2nd ed., Methuen, London, 1962 It is a piston-v ...
in B (''ad lib'') :2
Tenor Trombone A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
s (2nd ''ad lib'') :
Bass Trombone The bass trombone (german: Bassposaune, it, trombone basso) is the bass instrument in the trombone family of brass instruments. Modern instruments are pitched in the same B♭ as the tenor trombone but with a larger bore, bell and mouthpiece to ...
:
Euphonium The euphonium is a medium-sized, 3 or 4-valve, often compensating, conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument that derives its name from the Ancient Greek word ''euphōnos'', meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced" ( ''eu'' means "well" o ...
in B :Bombardons (an early form of the
Tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...
) ;Percussion: :
Timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionall ...
(''ad lib'') :
Snare Drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...
:
Bass Drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...
:
Cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...
s :
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, any three points, when non- colline ...
:
Tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called " zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, tho ...
; Strings: :
Double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
(''ad lib'')

1948 Boosey and Co. full score
;Woodwinds: :Flute/Piccolo in C :Flute/Piccolo in D :2 Oboes :2 Clarinets in E :Solo clarinet in B :3 Clarinets in B :
Alto clarinet The alto clarinet is a woodwind instrument of the clarinet family. It is a transposing instrument pitched in the key of E, though instruments in F have been made. In size it lies between the soprano clarinet and the bass clarinet. It bears a gr ...
in E :Bass clarinet in B :
Contrabass clarinet The contrabass clarinet (also pedal clarinet, after the pedals of pipe organs) and contra-alto clarinet are the two largest members of the clarinet family that are in common usage. Modern contrabass clarinets are transposing instruments pitc ...
in B :2 Bassoons :Alto saxophone in E :Tenor saxophone in B :
Baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contrab ...
in E :
Bass saxophone The bass saxophone is one of the lowest-pitched members of the saxophone family—larger and lower than the more common baritone saxophone. It was likely the first type of saxophone built by Adolphe Sax, as first observed by Berlioz in 1842. It ...
in B ;Brass: :2 Cornets in B (1st called "solo") :2 Trumpets in B :2
Flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though som ...
s :4 Horns in E (though the parts are in F) :2 Tenor trombones :Bass trombone :Baritone in B (Euphonium part in
treble clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines, which defines the pit ...
) :Euphonium :"Basses" (
Tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...
and
double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
es) ;Percussion: :Timpani :Snare drum :Bass drum :Cymbals :Triangle :Tambourine

1984 Boosey & Hawkes revised edition
;Woodwinds: :Piccolo in C :Flute in C :2 Oboes (2nd ''ad lib'') :2 Clarinets in E (2nd ''ad lib'') :Solo clarinet in B :3 Clarinets in B :Bass clarinet in B (''ad lib'') :2 Bassoons (2nd ''ad lib'') :Alto saxophone in E :Tenor saxophone in B :Baritone saxophone in E (''ad lib'') :Bass saxophone in B (''ad lib'') ;Brass: :Solo cornet in B :2 Cornets in B :2 Trumpets in B (''ad lib'') :4 Horns in F (3rd and 4th ''ad lib'') :3 Trombones (2nd ''ad lib'') :Euphonium :Tuba ;Percussion: :Timpani (''ad lib'') :Snare drum :Bass drum :Cymbals :Suspended cymbal :Triangle :Tambourine ;Strings: :Double bass (''ad lib'') ;Not in score but included set for convenience: :(all ''ad lib'') :Alto clarinet in E :Contrabass clarinet in B :2 Flugelhorns in B

Other band works by Gustav Holst
* ''Hammersmith'' * ''
A Moorside Suite ''A Moorside Suite'' (H.173) is a work for brass band by the English composer Gustav Holst. It was commissioned by the BBC and the National Brass Band Festival Committee in 1927 for the final of the 1928 National Brass Band Championships of Grea ...
'' (for brass band) * ''Three Folk Tunes'' * ''The Praise of King Olaf'' (for choir and military band) * ''Marching Song'' (transcription from ''Two Songs Without Words'') *
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...
's ''Fugue à la Gigue'' transcribed for military band (actually scored as a test piece for ''Hammersmith''.) * Second Suite in F

References

Further reading
*Udell, Budd (1982). "Standard Works for Band: Gustav Holst's First Suite in E Major for Military Band." ''
Music Educators Journal The ''Music Educators Journal'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal that covers in the field of education. The editor-in-chief is Ella Wilcox, and the Academic Editor is Corin Overland (University of Miami). It was established in 1914 an ...
'', 69 (4):28 *Khalili, Esmail
Gustav Holst’s Suite in E-flat, Op. 28a: A Comparative Analysis of the Original Manuscript and Later Editions
*Wind Repertory Project
First Suite in E-flat

External links
* {{Authority control Concert band pieces 1909 compositions Military 1