A Moorside Suite
Gustav Holst (1974-1934)
Gustav Holst was commissioned to write this music for Brass Band in 1928 for a National competition. Holst was an English composer, born in Cheltenham and played the trombone. He had already written works for Military Bands for this was his first for Brass Band. He is best known for his awesome work, “The Planets”. He, amongst others, was influenced by a revival in the English Folksong and was a lifelong friend of Ralph Vaughan Williams, another notable composer whose interests mirrored those of his good friend.
Written for a traditional brass band, the music has three movements (sections) and lasts for about 15 minutes;
- Scherzo (Scherzo means light and playful, achieved with a 6/8 time signature).
- Nocturne - a piece inspired by nighttime. Holst was very daring in the writing of this, marking the dynamics (the louds and softs) very low – quite a challenge for a brass band).
- March (bands are known for their marching, though this isn’t meant for the physical act of marching and does change tempo, making this rather tricky!)