Second Suite in F for Military Band
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The Second Suite in F for Military Band (Op. 28, No. 2) is Gustav Holst's second and last suite for band. Although performed less frequently than the First Suite in E-flat, it is still a staple of the band literature. The Second Suite is longer and more difficult to play than its sister suite.
During Holst's earlier years as a composer, he took interest (as did many English composers at the time) in writing pieces based on folk music. His contemporary Ralph Vaughan Williams had based his English Folk Song Suite on English folk tunes. Holst followed suit with the Second Suite. Six tunes are compressed into the four movements of the suite, each with their own character.
There have been several editions of the work, most recently by Boosey & Hawkes (1984), edited by Colin Mathews.
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[edit] Instrumentation
The work is scored for 2 flutes in C and D-flat (both doubling piccolo), oboe, clarinet in E-flat, 3 clarinets in B-flat, bass clarinet in B-flat, 2 bassoons, 4 saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone), 2 cornets, 2 trumpets in B-flat, 4 horns in E-flat, 3 trombones (tenor, tenor, bass), euphonium, tuba, and percussion.
[edit] Structure
The Second Suite consists of four movements, all based on specific English folk songs.
[edit] Movement I: "March: Morris dance, Swansea Town, Claudy Banks"
The "March" of the Second Suite begins with a simple five note motif in the low brass and high woodwinds. Then the first folk tune is heard in the form of a traditional British Brass Band march. After a brief climax with the entire band playing at the same time, the second strain begins with a euphonium solo. With a steady pulse set by the tuba and trombones, the euphonium plays the second folk tune in the suite. The band again regroups and plays the final repeat of the theme before the trio. After a final "F" chord, Holst modulates to the sub-dominant minor, or B-flat minor (usually one would modulate to B-flat major). The third theme, called "Claudy Banks", is heard in a mid-low woodwind soli. Then the entire band is, for a third time, let loose for a huge climax at the end of the trio. Then the entire piece to the Fine is repeated da capo.
Holst also set Swansea Town for TTBB and SATB chorus. The tune and lyrics can be found at http://www.folkinfo.org/songs/displaysong.php?songid=728
There are many word and tune variants for Claudy Banks. The tune is that of the hymn "Kingsfold", and in Ireland it is called "The Star of the County Down". A version of the tune (slow compared to Holst's setting) can be found at http://www.contemplator.com/ireland/star.html. A version of the lyrics to Claudy Banks (with a different tune) can be found at http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiCLAUDYBK;ttCLAUDYBK.html
Holst defied the regular format of a suite by placing the March first – it is usually reserved as a finale, as in his First Suite.
[edit] Movement II: "Song Without Words, 'I Love My Love'"
The second movement contrasts in transition from the quick "March". It begins very quietly and mournfully. An oboe solo swims around the rest of the band's accompaniment, and is joined by the flute and trumpet.
The folk-song it is based on depicts the story of a woman waiting for her lover to return.
Like "Swansea Town" and "Song of the Blacksmith", Holst made an SATB choral arrangement of the tune ("I Love My Love"). One version of the words (with a different tune) can be found at http://www.contemplator.com/england/bedlam.html
[edit] Movement III: "Song of the Blacksmith"
After the hauntingly beautiful "Song Without Words", a jovial, happy melody begins with the brass section. There are many changes in meter (4/4, 3/4) which add to the subtle complexity of the piece. It becomes increasingly difficult because the brass section has all of their accompaniment on the up-beats of each measure. The upper-woodwinds and horns join on the melody around the body of the piece, and is accompanied with the sound of a blacksmith tempering metal with an anvil called for in the score. The final D major chord has a glorious, heavenly sound, which opens way to the final movement. This chord works so effectively perhaps because it is unexpected because the entire movement is in F major when the music suddenly moves to the major of the relative minor.
Holst made a choral arrangement (TTBB and SATB) of this setting, using the words "Kang" and "Ki-Ki" to imitate the blacksmith's hammer strokes. A version of the text, with a different tune, can be found at http://www.contemplator.com/england/blacksmith.html
[edit] Movement IV: "Fantasia on the Dargason"
The finale of the Second Suite in F opens with an alto saxophone solo of an Irish jig. This same phrase is repeated throughout the song, with varying instrumentation. At several points during the movement, the melody of Greensleeves is heard. Holst intertwines both themes simultaneously with various instrumentations, including the climax of the movement, which has the euphonium and trumpets blaring out the somewhat unrecognizable theme of Greensleeves. The instrumentation dies down once the counter-melody ceases, and is soon nothing but a quiet, quirky tuba and piccolo duet, with one final F major chord.
