holst - suite no. 1 for military band in e flat major

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. No serious music had yet been composed specifically for the 'military band' medium, there being no standardized instrumentation. The majority of music played by British military bands around this time consisted of popular music and orchestral transcriptions. 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.īands 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. Officially premiered in 1920 at the Royal Military School of Music, the manuscript was originally completed in 1909. 1, by the British composer Gustav Holst is considered one of the cornerstone masterworks in the concert band repertoire.

The First Suite in E ♭ for Military Band, Op.

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Holst - suite no. 1 for military band in e flat major