March from 'A Moorside Suite' (Holst)

This arrangement of the entire March from A Moorside Suite brings this refreshing music to concert bands of all levels. It should be played with full appreciation of its splendid sense of purpose and direction, from the bold fanfare-like opening, based on a pair uplifting leaps of the interval of a fourth, in which every instrument takes part, right through to the exultant flourish in the final bars marked Allegro vivace. Truly, a March to lift the spirits!

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 3.5 | Duration: 4:30

Instrumentation
1st Flute
2nd Flute
Oboe*
1st Bb Clarinet
2nd Bb Clarinet
3rd Bb Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet*
Bassoon*
1st Eb Alto Saxophone*
2nd Eb Alto Saxophone*
Bb Tenor Saxophone*
Eb Baritone Saxophone*

1st Bb Trumpet
2nd Bb Trumpet
1st F Horn
2nd F Horn
1st Trombone
2nd Trombone*
Euphonium
(TC Baritone)
Tuba

String Bass*

Percussion 1 (glockenspiel)
Percussion 2 [2 players] (snare durm, bass drum, cymbals, triangle)
Timpani*

Parts marked with an asterisk (*) are NOT ESSENTIAL, although their presence will obviously enable a fuller realization of the composer's intention to be achieved.

Program Notes
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) can claim a distinction shared with a relatively small number of composers in that his music is more performed now than it was during his lifetime. A Moorside Suite, Holst's only work for brass band, is in three movements, Scherzo; Nocturne; March; and was written as the set work for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in 1928. It has become recognized as one of the truly great original works for brass band.

This arrangement of the entire March brings this refreshing music to concert bands of all levels. It should be played with full appreciation of its splendid sense of purpose and direction, from the bold fanfare-like opening, based on a pair uplifting leaps of the interval of a fourth, in which every instrument takes part, right through to the exaltant flourish in the final bars marked Allegro vivace. Truly, a March to lift the spirits!