DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS PERFORMANCE PORTFOLIO ...

256
* In 1909 Gustav Holst penned hisfirst Suite in Eb. This was the first in a series
of important commissions by RMSM8
" It was not until 1921 that it was published.
" Before then the world had been at war. At the outbreak of War Rogan had
already arranged a tour of the UK it was decided that this should go ahead for
the purpose of recruiting. Concerts were held outside and attracted large
audiences in there thousands, by the end of the tour the band had played to
over half a million people.
The band was the first to volunteer to go to the front to play for the troops the
band visited France three times between 1916 and 1918. Each lasting about
three months. On the first trip Rogan took a band of thirty-three.
" Suite in Eb, Holst, received it; world premiere at Kneller Hall in 1921. The
students at Kneller Hall were amazed and transfixed, as they had not heard
anything like it in terms of military band writing.
" It is worth noting that the whole suite is based on a three note motif which is a
tone followed by a leap of a perfect fifth.
First mov't [tuba] Second mov't comet third mov't clar.
Holst, 1" suite in Eb, is without question one of the most significant works
written for military band.
Toccata Marziale
In the 1920 the band still rehearsed in the Ebury Arms public house on
Buckingham Palace road. Robert Evans became the Director of Music and
became very unpopular when he moved the band from the public house into
what became
the Duke of York's Barracks.
8 M. Short, Gustav Holst, The Man and his Music. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990).