Fugue a la Gigue (Bach/Holst)

Fugue a la Gigue is Holst's masterful military band orchestration of J.S. Bach's "Organ Fugue in G Major BWV 577." Michael Brand's new edition expands/doubles some of Holst's original parts to make the piece playable by today's modern concert band.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 5 | Duration: 5:10

Instrumentation
Flute 1/Piccolo
Flute 2
Oboe
Eb Clarinet
Solo Bb Clarinet
Bb Clarinet 1
Bb Clarinet 2
Bb Clarinet 3
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bassoon 1/2
Alto Saxophone 1/2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

Bb Cornet 1
Bb Cornet 2
Horn in F 1/2
Trombone 1/2
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Baritone T.C.
Tuba

Program Notes
When Holst was commissioned to write 'Hammersmith' for the BBC Wireless Military Band in 1928 he felt rather out of practice in orchestrating for the medium. For some years he had had the idea of arranging some Bach fugues for brass and military band so he set himself the task of scoring the Organ Fugue in G Major BWV 577 (from Preludes, Fugues and Fantasias). He, rather than Bach, called it Fugue a la Gigue. The piece made an ideal exercise and Holst's brilliant dovetailing of the counterpoint between different instruments shows his mastery. The piece is technically demanding and the characteristic unison clarinet writing suggests the orchestral conception of a large wind ensemble rather than a band. It was this conception which the composer carried forward into 'Hammersmith.'

Fugue a la Gigue was published for military band in 1928 by Boosey & Hawkes and shortly afterwards for orchestra, but with only short scores, as was customary at the time. This edition has the full score of Holst's original orchestration with optional added parts for full concert band.