The following are recordings of the 1st and 2nd movements of the First Suite in E flat for military band by Gustav Holst performed in the revised version of 1948.

The historical background has an important role in the development of the wind band sound identity of a Country.

At the beginning of the XX century, wind bands started gaining their own

identity separating from the symphony orchestra and opera world.

Well known composers from the symphony orchestra or opera scene start

composing original works for wind bands which at first are tightly related with

the military music world.

An example of one of the first original works for wind band:

The First Suite in E♭ for Military Band, Op. 28, No. 1, by the British composer

Gustav Holst is considered one of the cornerstone masterworks in the concert band

repertoire. Officially premiered in 1920 at the Royal Military School of Music, the

manuscript was originally completed in 1909. Along with the subsequent Second

Suite in F for Military Band, written in 1911 and premiered in 1922, the First Suite

was the catalyzing force that convinced many other prominent composers that

serious music could be written specifically for the combination of woodwinds,

percussion and brass.The majority of music played by British military bands around

the turn of the 20th century consisted of popular music and orchestral

transcriptions. It was during this time that the British Military band tradition was at its

peak, and the term "military band" was being applied to any ensemble that

incorporated woodwinds, brass and percussion.

Unfortunately, no serious music had yet been composed specifically for the band

medium, and there was no standardized instrumentation. The lack of a set

instrumentation was a major obstacle for composers, in addition to the pervasive belief

that an ensemble of assorted wind instruments lacked the tonal cohesiveness to

produce significant music. This is where the First Suite set itself apart.

In addition to being a serious work written for band, the suite was perfectly tailored to

handle the inherent challenges of the military band due to its ingenious orchestration.

As stated above, there was no standardized instrumentation from one band to the next.

To address this problem, Holst scored the suite for 19 instruments, with 17 remaining

parts labelled "ad lib.", meaning they were unnecessary for performance. Given that

most British military bands of the day employed between 20 and 30 musicians, the 19

required parts could reasonably be expected to be covered, and the remaining parts

could be added or discarded as needed without disturbing the integrity of the work.

1909 autograph manuscript

The original manuscript, completed in 1909, is housed at the British Library in London.

The shelf listing is as follows:

“Add. MS 47824. GUSTAV HOLST COLLECTION. Vol. XXI (ff. 37). First Suite in E flat for

military band, op. 28, no. 1, consisting of Chaconne, Intermezzo and March. [1909.] Full

score. Autograph. With various notes on f.1 relating to ad lib. parts, etc. Published by

Boosey & Co., 1921, in Boosey's Military Journal, 142nd Series, No. 2. [I. Holst, no. 105.]”

1948 Boosey and Hawkes full score

The 1948 edition of the First Suite in E♭ was the first since the original Boosey & Co. publication of 1921. With developments in instrumentation in the United States during the

two decades following the original published version, there were calls for a newer, more

accessible edition. The growing popularity of school band contests resulted in American

bands incorporating a wide array of instruments such as the alto and contrabass clarinets,

and the baritone and bass saxophones. With more and more bands employing these

larger forces, the original version of the First Suite could not be performed as written. In

addition, the 1921 edition only had a reduced piano score, and by this time the manuscript

had been lost. Albert Austin Harding, longtime Director of Bands at the University of Illinois, suggested revising the First Suite to accommodate the growing number of

American bands and their modern instrumentation. To facilitate this, a new full score

based on the original published parts was produced by Boosey & Hawkes. Multiple errors

are found in the score that are not shown in the original parts.

This new edition contained several modifications:

•The flute and piccolo, originally pitched in D♭, were changed to the key of C, as this was becoming increasingly popular.

•The B♭ baritone part was discarded. In 1921, at a conference of the Directors of Music of the Navy, Army and Air Force, held at Kneller Hall, it was decided that the B♭tenor saxophone would officially replace the B♭ baritone. H. E. Adkins states that this was due to baritone's “lack of character and its ineffectiveness.”

•In addition to the removal of the baritone, the string bass was also omitted. At this time, it is not known why the string bass was removed. It may simply be that school bands did not incorporate it (as is largely the case today). It may also be that, since the string bass was marked ad lib by Holst, Boosey & Hawkes did not feel the need to include it.

•Instruments added to the score included the E♭ alto clarinet, the E♭ baritone and B♭ bass saxophones, B♭ contrabass clarinet, and a set of flugelhorns.

1984 Boosey and Hawkes revised edition (edited by Colin Matthews)

Sometime after the publication of the 1921 edition, the original manuscript was lost. As a

result, the only full score available of the First Suite was from 1948 edition, and many

conductors struggled with the peculiarities contained therein. It was well known which

instruments were additions to the original, but because the 1921 score was only a piano

reduction, Holst's original intentions remained unclear. Then, in 1974, the original

manuscript was discovered. Frederick Fennell, in a reprint of his 1975 article discussing

the suite, states:

“Shortly after this initial piece in our Basic Band Repertory series was published, the

manuscript of the Suite in E♭ for Military Band surfaced for the first time. The full score

always existed and it could have answered all the questions which were raised in my

initial study and in the minds of other conductors whose pursuits of definite answers in this

has been an equal frustration.”

Among the questions raised were those concerning the scoring discrepancies associated

with the alto clarinet and baritone saxophone. In light of these realizations, a new, revised

score was subsequently prepared by English composer Colin Matthews, with the

assistance of Imogen Holst and Frederick Fennell. This new edition was published in 1984

by Boosey & Hawkes.

Matthews knew that a complete return to the scoring of the manuscript would once again

limit the accessibility of the work, particularly in the United States, where American bands

are still to this day typically larger than their British counterparts. In the introduction to the

revised score, Matthews states:

“Since the composition of military bands and wind bands in general has changed since

1909, this new edition of the score does not attempt to go back wholly to the original

manuscript… The second pair of trumpets and the baritone have been omitted entirely,

while the added baritone and bass saxophones have been retained (with some

emendations). The additional parts for alto and contrabass clarinets and flugelhorns have

been omitted... The omission of the baritone has allowed the euphonium part to be

expanded, most notably in the Intermezzo after letter D, and at the beginning of the

Finale, where it doubles the 1st cornet at the lower octave.”

Matthews also makes modifications to the cornets, trumpets and horns. He writes:

“Particular care has been taken to ‘cover’ ad lib parts. Since in the original manuscript all

the trumpets were ad lib, the omission of the second pair has not left any serious gaps:

indeed the opportunity has been taken to fill one or two that Holst himself left (in the Finale

at letter C, for example). Three cornets are essential, but the parts have been adjusted,

since Holst, when writing for cornets in three parts tended to write for two second cornets

(at the end of the first movement and the Finale the fourth cornet is optional). In the same

way he was occasionally careless about the disposition of his four horn parts, and these

are now organized so that the third and fourth may safely be omitted.”

The three standard versions' instrumentations are listed side by side for comparison.

4. How is the 

"sound identity" related to 

repertoire?

UNITED KINGDOM

Here are some milestone compositions from the wind band repertoire of the beginning of the XX° century.

All these compositions fully represent the arrival point of the instrumentation development in various Countries in Europe.

Dionysiaques - Florent Schmitt performed by Des Gardiens de la Paix (France), conducted by Désiré Dondeyne

Dionysiaques - Florent Schmitt performed by the Symphonic Wind Orchestra Harmonie St.Michaël (Thorn - NL)

conducted by Heinz Friesen

Dionysiaques - Florent Schmitt adapted by Felix Hauswirth,

performed by the Royal Australian Navy Band,

conducted by Lieutenant Commander Steven Stanke

The French composer Florent Schmitt, composed two major works for wind band and percussion: Dionysiaques and a Marche militaire, which formed the first and second works in his Op. 62. It has been speculated that Schmitt's service in World War I brought him into closer contact with military bands and encouraged him to write this substantial music.

Dionysiaques for band, Op. 62, No. 1 was composed in 1913-14 for France’s elite Garde Républicaine Band, which premiered the work in 1925, is actually listed as a Grade 5.  The title relates to the festivals held in ancient Greece to celebrate Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, drama, and other enjoyable things. Composed during Schmitt’s service to the French army in World War I, Dionysiaques seems a joyous escape from the horrors of war that he no doubt witnessed. The war it-self delayed the first performance of Dionysiaques until June 9, 1925, when it was finally premiered at the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris by the Garde Républicaine Band under the direction of Guillaume Balay. 

The composition is very descriptive, beginning the celebration very sensuously, it begins with a languorous, decadent theme in the lower brasses and winds, with a yearning theme overlaid in the higher winds; here the music sounds reminiscent of Igor Stravinsky's Firebird ballet. It becomes much busier as the celebration begins to “heat up”. Schmitt uses short bursts of highly chromatic material to elude to the sense of unpredictability that is often associated with such alcohol-induced celebrations.  After a while, the first of a series of jaunty, march-like party themes begins. Schmitt’s writing here can be rather difficult for any wind band, with quick unison trills, gigantic leaps, and alternating tempos.  At times, the celebration seems to be calming down, and just before the end of the piece the music comes almost to a complete halt, but of course Schmitt has reserved the biggest climax of all for the end.

Just listening to this composition helps to understand its complexities and difficulties in performance.  It requires great technical skills. In general, Schmitt has been an underestimated composer; Dionysiaques is a good introduction to his music, full of appealing themes, inviting sonorities, crowd-pleasing climaxes; in short, an extraordinary sonic spectacle. 

Florent Schmitt’s scoring for Dionysiaques calls for the full range of wind instruments — and more. The score has an intriguing orchestration, calling for several unusual instruments such as the sarrusophone, bass saxophone, pedal clarinets and even double basses!

Like many of Schmitt’s compositions, the music is a challenge for performers, which may partially explain why it took many decades for Dionysiaques to become a staple of the concert band repertoire.

In what may well be a “first” in recording history for a piece of classical music, the first two recordings of Dionysiaques were made by the exact same musical forces — the Garde Republicaine — within three months of one another!  The earlier of the two was recorded in November 1927 under the direction of the composer-conductor Guillaume Balay, while the second recording was made in February 1928 under the direction of Pierre Dupont.

Guillaume Balay (1871-1943)

These early recordings of Dionysiaques are of particular historical interest because they used Schmitt’s original scoring, including a number of instruments that are no longer part of the typical wind ensemble palette (petit bugles, saxhorns, sarrusophones and the like).

Pierre Dupont (1888-1969)

Luckily, the 1928 Dupont recording has been digitized and can be heard here.

The first “modern” recording of Dionysiaques appeared in the mid-1950s, but it wasn’t until about a decade later that a second one was released — and a decade later still for yet another. All three of these recordings were on French record labels with limited international distribution.

Above are the first pages of the original score of Dionysiaques by Florent Schmitt and the transcription for modern instrumentation made by Felix Hauswirth.

Confronting the two settings  we can notice how, against the trend of the last centuries, the setting used by Hauswirth is smaller than the original.

[ Florent Schmitt (1870-1958) was born in Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.  He began composition lessons with local composer Gustave Sandre, before entering the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 19.  While at the Conservatoire, he studied with composers like Gabriel Fauré and Theodore Dubois, winning the Prix de Rome in 1900.  Throughout his life, he composed for most major forms of music, except for opera.  His style was primarily impressionistic, was similar to that of Debussy, but also included elements of Wagner and Richard Strauss.  His Piano Quintet in B minor, composed in 1908, helped to establish his reputation, but today his most famous compositions are La tragedie de Salome and Psaume XLVII (Psalm 47).  It has been speculated that Schmitt’s involvement in World War I brought him into contact with military bands, which influenced his compositions to included pieces for such ensembles. ]

FRANCE

Paul Gilson composed his Rapsodie in 1908-1909 for fanfare and then made also a version for military band in 1909.

For Belgian composers it was essential, at that time, to first make a name for themselves in Paris before it was possible to have some of their important works to be performed in their own country.  Following Adolphe Sax’s footsteps were François-Joseph Fétis (1784-1871) and François-Auguste Gevaert (1828-1908).  As one of the most influential musical figures of the 19th century Fétis spread his authority throughout Europe.  

In 1833 he became the first director of the Brussels Conservatory and surrounded himself with eminent artists and used the French system as an example to structure his Brussels Conservatory.

The Rapsodie is build on six contrasting themes (alternating between dramatic and playful) in four different tempos.  This complex structure made that  the Rapsodie was seen by some observers as a ‘strange work.  The use of six contrasting themes reflects the mature personality of the composer, who wrote this rhapsody at the age of forty-four.  At this stage in his career his ideas seem to have somewhat crystallized in this Rapsodie.   The work is more cerebral and less romantic than its predecessors, but it contains many ingenious ideas and combinations of thematic ingenuity.  It is masterfully orchestrated and is, as the Valse Symphonique Nr. 1 for wind band and the Symphonic Variations, technically very difficult.

A comparison between the instrumentation of the two versions:

When listening to this recording it is not possible to understand the nationality of the performers, this unfortunately is due to the standardization of the instrumentation in order to sell not only in Europe but also in the United States or elsewhere. This is a positive aspect for the diffusion of the European repertoire in the world but at the same time it has become a reason not to preserve the single traditional setting of the original score and therefore the musical idea of the composers.

BELGIUM

Paul Gilson was born in the centre of Brussels on the 15th of June 1865 but just a year after his birth, the family moved to Ruisbroek,  a small village near  Halle where they stayed until 1882.

Paul Gilson was still a teenager when he had the chance to discover band music in Ruisbroek.   In Ruisbroek, he received his early music training: he had some lessons from Auguste Cantillon (theory, piano and harmony) and learned to play the trumpet.  He had little interest in the instrumental education; the thing he wanted was to compose.