Moorside March

Gustav Holst

Subtitle: From A Moorside Suite

General Info

Year: 1928 / 1960
Duration: c. 4:15
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Brass band
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $77.71

Instrumentation

Condensed Score
C Piccolo
Flutes I-II
Oboes I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Bass Saxophone
Horns in F I-II-III-IV
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Moorside Suite, from which this march is taken, was commissioned as the test piece for the British National Brass Band Championship at the Crystal Palace, London, in 1928. Holst set the pattern for other composers of international repute who also wrote for the brass band in subsequent years. He left an incomplete version for military band, containing all of the first movement and 38 bars of the second, to be completed later. It is not known whether the brass or the military band score (now in the British Museum) was begun first.

Gordon Jacob arranged the suite for orchestra in 1952 and for wind band in 1960. According to Imogen Holst, her father "liked writing for brass better than for military band: it was mellower and more flexible. His affection for the trombone was lasting, and he knew the texture of the band instinctively and could get the best out of every instrument." At the Crystal Palace he listened to the piece 15 times and was deeply impressed by players who "combined the enthusiasm of amateurs with the skill of professionals. It was not only their technical proficiency that he admired so much: it was their sense of phrasing ad their real musicianship."

The march begins with a rising, four-note motif which leads into a vigorous theme, noteworthy because of its six-bar phrases. A second theme, employing more normal eight-bar phrases, is introduced by the saxophone. The trio is reminiscent of the ceremonial marches of Elgar and Walton in its pomp and dignity. After a brief modulatory section based on the opening motif, the first two themes are restated, and the march concludes with a coda containing material from the trio.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Media

Audio CD: United States Marine Band (Timothy W. Foley, conductor) – 2011

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Wind Symphony (John P. Lynch, conductor) - 5 October 2023
Michigan State University (East Lansing) Wind Symphony (Shelby Chipman, conductor) - 2 March 2023 (88th Annual ABA National Convention)
Susquehanna University (Snelinsgrove, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (David Rohrer, conductor) - 8 October 2022
James Madison University (Harrisonburg, Va.) Concert Band (Amy Birdsong, conductor) - 26 October 2021
Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Symphonic Band (Eric Allen, conductor) - 1 April 2021
East Texas Baptist University (Marshall, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Nathan G. Phillips, conductor) – 2 October 2020
Valdosta (Ga.) State University Concert Band (Skye Holmes, conductor) – 18 February 2020
Sonoma State University (Rohnert Park, Calif.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Andy Collinsworth, conductor) – 10 May 2019
Roberts Wesleyan College (Chili, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Joseph Condoluci, conductor) – 14 February 2019
Collinsville High School (Collinsville, Il.) Symphonic Band (Ryan Stack, conductor) – 14 February 2019
Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Concert Band (Keith Taylor, conductor) – 13 November 2018
New England Conservatory (Boston, Mass.) Wind Ensemble (Charles Peltz, conductor) – 13 November 2018
University of Kansas (Lawrence) Symphonic Band (Jong Ho Kim, conductor) – 3 May 2018
University of Illinois (Champaign) Campus Concert Band (Jason Gardner, conductor) – 7 March 2018
The University of Texas at Tyler Wind Ensemble (Jeffrey Emge, conductor) – 7 March 2018
Mercyhurst (Ore.) University Wind Ensemble (Scott Meier, conductor) – 21 February 2018
Indiana University (Bloomington) Concert Band (Jason H. Nam, conductor) – 6 February 2018
Genesee Valley (Batavia, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Katherine Robinson, conductor) – 19 November 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Chaconne from "First Suite in Eb" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2016)
Fantasia on the "Dargason" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1911/2013)
Intermezzo (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2017)
Jupiter (arr. Deterling) (Flex instrumentation) (1916/2020)
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (Adaptable Band) (arr. Fisher) (1916/2020)
March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1911/2010)
March from "First Suite in Eb" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2015)
March from Second "Suite in F Major" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Fisher) (1911/2018)
March from "First Suite in Eb" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2015)
Mars (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (1916/2009)
A Moorside March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Wright; ed. M. Brand) (1928/2021)
Songs from the "Second Suite" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1911/2012)
Suite from "The Planets" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (1916/2018)

All Wind Music

Ave Maria (tr. Woodley) (1900)
Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (as arranger; ed. Brand). See: Fugue à la Gigue
Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (as arranger; ed. Mitchell) (1707/1928/2005)
Brook Green Suite (tr. Curnow) (1933/2006)
Capriccio (tr. Boyd) (1932/1967/1974)
Capriccio (arr. Paul Noble) (1932/1967/2019)
Chaconne from "First Suite in Eb" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2016)
Chorale from Jupiter (arr. James Curnow)
Christmas Day (arr. Daehn) (1910/2011)
Christmas Day (arr. Beringen) (1910/2010)
Country Song (arr. Klein) (1906)
Dance of the Spirits of Fire (trans. Harpham) (1918/1922/1971)
Dirge for Two Veterans
Fantasia on the "Dargason" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1911/2013)
Fantasia on the "Dargason" (arr. Story) (1911/2000)
First Suite in E-flat (1909/1921)
First Suite in E-flat (ed. Matthews) (1909/1921/1984)
First Suite in E-flat (ed. Ito) (1909/2011)
First Suite in E-flat (arr. Longfield) (1909/2006)
First Suite in E-flat for Military Band (ed. Fennell) (1909/2006)
First Suite in E-flat Themes (arr. Sweeney). See: Themes from "First Suite in E-flat"
A Fugal Concerto (arr. Brand) (1923/1993?)
A Fugal Overture (arr. Noble) (1922/2014)
A Fugal Overture (trans. Ponto) (1922)
Fugue à la Gigue (as arranger; ed. Brand) (1707/1928/2008)
Fugue à la Gigue (as arranger; ed. Mitchell). See: Bach's Fugue à la Gigue
Gustav Holst Band Classics (arr. Edwards) (2020)
Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo (1930)
A Holst Hymn (arr. Smith) (1921/2022)
A Holst Suite (trans. Thompson) (2018)
Hymns from the Rig Veda (tr. Windram, ed. Mitchell) (1908/1917/2017)
I Vow to Thee, My Country (setting Vaughan Williams; ed. Grechesky) (1921/1988)
I Vow to Thee, My Country (arr. Knorr) (1921/2017)
Illumination (arr. Gene Milford)
In the Bleak Midwinter. See: Winter Suite
Intermezzo (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2017)
Japanese Suite (adapt. Boyd) (1915/1982/1999)
Jupiter (arr. Deterling) (Flex instrumentation) (1916/2020)
Jupiter from "The Planets" (arr. Pay and Smith) (1916/1924)
Jupiter from "The Planets" (arr. Branchfield) (1916/2014)
Jupiter (arr. Brown) (1916)
Jupiter (tr. Curnow) (1916/1990)
Jupiter (arr Hurt) from "The Planets" (arr. Hurt) (1916)
Jupiter (arr. Owens) (1916/2006)
Jupiter Hymn (arr. de Meij) (1916/1921/1990)
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (Adaptable Band) (arr. Fisher) (1916/2020)
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (tr. McAlister; ed. Reed) (1916/2003)
March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1911/2010)
March from "First Suite for Military Band" (arr. Story) (2011)
March from "First Suite in Eb" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1909/2015)
March from Second "Suite in F Major" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Fisher) (1911/2018)
Marching Song (1906/1930)
Marching Song (arr. Moss) (1906/2006)
Marching Song (ed. Reynish) (1906/1983)
March on Three Folk Tunes (ed. Binney) (c. 1913/2005)
Mars (arr. Bocook) (1916/1998)
Mars (arr. Owens) (1916/2009)
Mars from "The Planets" (tr. Pay and Smith) (1916/1924)
Mars, from "The Planets" (tr. Singleton) (1916/2001)
Mars (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (1916/2009)
Midwinter (arr. Phillips) (2012)
Moorside March (arr. Jacob) (1928/1960)
A Moorside March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Wright; ed. M. Brand) (1928/2021)
A Moorside Suite (arr. Wright)
Morris Dance Tunes (arr. Wagner) (1910/2010)
On This Day the Earth Shall Ring (arr. Smith) (2001)
The Perfect Fool (arr. Short) (1922/2005)
The Planets (tr. Inagaki) (1916)
The Planets (tr. Janssen) (1916/2017)
The Planets (tr. Patterson) (1916/1998)
The Planets (tr. Schrijvers) (1916/2005)
The Planets (tr. Vives) (1916/2007?)
The Planets (tr. Smith) (1916/1921)
Scherzo (tr. Patterson) (1933/2021)
Second Suite in F (ed. Fennell; score assembly Schissel) (1911/2006)
Second Suite in F (arr. Johnston) (1911/2011)
Second Suite in F (ed. Matthews) (1911)
Second Suite in F (ed. Neumann) (1911)
Second Suite in F (ed. Ito) (1911/1922/2012)
Second Suite in F (adapt. Longfield) (1911/2007)
Second Suite in f minor / F Major (ed. Hauswirth and Schmidt) (1911/2014)
A Somerset Rhapsody (tr. Clare Grundman) (1906/1927/1980)
The Song of the Blacksmith (arr. Loest) (1911/2011)
Songs from the "Second Suite" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1911/2012)
Songs of the West (arr. James Curnow) (1907/1986)
St. Paul's Suite (arr. Sparke) (1912-1913/2017)
Suite from "The Planets" (arr. Custer) (1916/1991)
Suite from "The Planets" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (1916/2018)
Themes from "First Suite in E-flat" (arr. Sweeney) (1909/2006)
Three Folk Tunes (arr. Wagner) (c. 1913/2007)
Two Songs Without Words (arr. Erickson) (1906/1996)
Uranus (tr. Curnow) (1916/1991)
Winter Suite
- On This Day Earth Shall Ring (arr. Smith) (1924/2001)
- In the Bleak Midwinter (arr. Bullock) (1906/1996)
- In the Bleak Midwinter (arr. Giroux) (1906/2018)
- In the Bleak Midwinter (arr. Smith) (1906/1992)
- Old Brenton Carol (arr. Smith) (1910/2001)

Resources

Holst, G.; Jacob, G. (1960). Moorside March, from Moorside Suite [score]. Boosey & Hawkes: London.
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 296-297.