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Downland Suite, A
John Ireland (arr. Ray Steadman-Allen)
General Info
Year: 1932 / 1985
Duration: c. 17:05
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Brass band
Publisher: G & M Brand
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $130.00 | Score Only (print) - $15.00
Movements
1. Prelude – 4:05
2. Elegy – 5:20
3. Minuet – 4:25
4. Rondo – 3:15
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Snare Drum
- Tam-tam
- Triangle
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
A Downland Suite is one of a pair of works Ireland wrote for brass band (the other being Comedy Overture) in the 1930s. Both were commissioned by the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, and this piece was completed in 1932.
Interestingly, the composer himself "freely adapted" the Elegy and the Minuet for string orchestra and the adaptation of the outer movements for strings was undertaken some years later by Geoffrey Bush, one of Ireland's many eminent composer pupils.
A Downland Suite is structured classically, revealing itself in the loose "sonata form" of the Prelude, the song-like Elegy, the Minuet with formal repeats and full Trio, and a last movement which utilizes the Rondo framework of a recurring theme reappearing in different keys.
- Program Note from score
Media
State Ratings
- Alabama: Class BB
- Kansas: III
- Tennessee: VI
- Virginia: VI
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of Texas (Austin) Wind Symphony (unconducted) – 6 April 2018
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Comedy Overture (arr. Steadman-Allen) (1934/1987)
- A Downland Suite (arr. Steadman-Allen) (1932/1985)
- Epic March (arr. Brand) (1942)
- Epic March (tr. Grimo) (1942/1988)
- A Maritime Overture
Resources
- A Downland Suite, Wikipedia Accessed 20 February 2021
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "John Ireland." Accessed 20 February 2021
- Ireland, J.; Steadman-Allen, R. (1985). A Downland Suite [score]. R. Smith: Watford, England.
- Perusal score