Moorside Suite, A (5-Part Flex Band Gr. 4.5) [Holst]

Set in three movements – Scherzo, Nocturne, & March – A Moorside Suite is an extraordinary mature work for band from a master composer. There is very little fortissimo writing and there are no semiquavers at all. Instead, Holst has written clean melodic lines with each part being woven into a texture based on the modal lines of English folk music; but these represent its stylistic origin rather than using actual folk tunes as in Holst’s earlier band writing. The counterpoint and part writing makes it an ideal piece to arrange for Flexible Band, but the conductor is required to make judicious choices of the instruments available in the Ensemble in Solo passages.

Genre: 5-Part Flex Band | # of Players: 5+
Series: The SpectraFlex Series
Level: 4.5 | Duration: 15:45

Instrumentation
Transposed Score (showing all transposed parts)
Condensed Score (only "C" parts)

Adaptable Parts
(2 copies of each of all parts for each listed instrument)

Part 1: Flute/Oboe, B-flat Clarinet/Trumpet

Part 2: B-flat Clarinet/Trumpet, E-flat Alto Saxophone

Part 3: B-flat Clarinet/Trumpet, E-flat Alto Saxophone, F Horn

Part 4: B-flat Tenor Saxophone, F Horn, Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon

Part 5: B-flat Tenor Saxophone, F Horn, Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon

Part 6: B-flat Bass Clarinet, E-flat Baritone Saxophone, Trombone, Euphonium, Bassoon, Tuba, Double Bass

Percussion Parts (100% optional)
Timpani (4 drums)
Glockenspiel
Percussion [2 players]: Snare Drum, Crash Cymbals, Triangle, Suspended Cymbal

Program Notes
Holst composed A Moorside Suite for brass band in 1928 for the finals of the premier British Brass Band competition held every year at the Crystal Palace, London. The three movements are: Scherzo, Nocturne and March. It is an extraordinarily mature work for band from a master composer. There is very little fortissimo writing and there are no semiquavers at all. Instead, Holst has written clean melodic lines with each part being woven into a texture based on the modal lines of English folk music; but these represent its stylistic origin rather than using actual folk tunes as in Holst’s earlier band writing.

Holst himself later arranged the work for String Orchestra (also published by G & M Brand Publications). The counterpoint and part writing makes it an ideal piece to arrange for Flexible Band, but the conductor is required to make judicious choices of the instruments available in the Ensemble in Solo passages.

ABOUT THE SERIES
The SpectraFlex Series for adaptable wind band offers flexibility with pieces across all grade levels, featuring traditional high-to-low scoring with 5 or 6 parts and optional percussion. Each part is transposed and playable by a multitude of wind or keyboard percussion instruments while maintaining the spectrum of sound we have grown to love about the wind band.