First Suite in E-flat

I. Chaconne
By Gustav Holst Adapted by Robert Longfield
Biography:
Gustav Holst is a prominent English composer, best known for his
orchestral work, The Planets. He was born in 1874 in London, England.
He played piano and violin at a young age, but was held back by health
issues. While still in his teens, his compositions had already received
several local performances. He then went on to study at Merton
College, Oxford with Frederick Sims. Some of his musical inspirations
included Vaughn Williams and Wagner. His first teaching appointment
came after he spent time as a professional trombonist with a touring
opera. He was offered a teaching position at James Allen's Girls' School
in Dulwich, where he was appointment head of music in 1908; Holst
also had many other teaching commitments that he would taken on for
the rest of his life, including becoming a visiting lecturer at Harvard.
Holst had many different interests that had a great influence on
his music. He had a strong interest in Hindu philosophy and literature.
He was a very busy man, who rarely took holidays. At one point in his
life, he worked with demobilized troops in Salonica. His life was
somewhat upturned when he finally reached success through The
Planets, and most of the music composed after it was not received as
well.
Background:

Since Holst is best known by the general public for his major
orchestral work, it often surprises people that some of his concert band
literature have becomes staples in our repertoire. Composed in 1908,
First Suite in E-flat, was originally composed for wind band, which
was new. It gave bands a chance to prove they had an important place
in the musical world and could be as expressive as existing ensembles.
The adaptation by Robert Longfield was done to simplify the music and
make it more manageable for bands today. Some secondary parts have
been eliminated and some ranges changed. Fortunately, the musical
integrity and structure of Holsts composition remains intact.
Lesson Plan
Materials: Instruments, music, stands, pencil, board for teacher use.
Standards:
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
Students will focus on their performance as an ensemble, making
sure to have good tone quality at all times.
Objectives:
1. Students will play with correct style, being mindful on
changes, and use correct articulations.
2. Students will play in tune, listening down to the low voices
and blending within the section.
3. Students will know their musical role at every point in the
piece in terms of having the melody, countermelody, and
accompaniment.
Procedure:
1. Today we will be working on Holsts First Suite in the first
movement. We will be starting at the beginning and working up
to measure 57.

a. Baritone and Tuba, you have our first statement of the

chaconne. How do we want this to sound?
i. Smooth, connected, quiet, but strong.
ii. For everyone that comes in with a counter line, try to
play in the same style as our low brass.
b. Rehearse mm.1-25.
i. Oboes and B-flat trumpet make sure that concert A
natural is brought out. Lets check pitch on that.
ii. Everyone should have legato marked in their part.
Make sure to be playing that way!
c. At m. 25 the style changes. Can anyone describe to me
how this is different than the beginning section?
i. It should be lighter and more detached.
ii. Pay close attention to your entrances, woodwinds
and trumpets. Makes sure youre subdividing.
d. Rehearse mm. 25-41.
i. Could everyone hear the trumpet and trombone
solo?
1. If not, repeat section.
e. At m.41 we have another style change. What is marked in
everyones part there?
i. Brilliante: how do we want to play that?
ii. Brass, make sure not to clip your notes: play the full
length of the eighth notes.
iii. Woodwinds, be careful not to rush. Youre still the
accompaniment here!
f. Rehearse mm. 41- 57.
i. At m.49 the woodwinds drop out. Who takes over the
accompaniment?
ii. Brass, does anyone know what pesante means?
1. Rehearse just brass at m. 49
2. Today we looked at three sections of this piece, each with a
distinct style. We are now going to run this whole section; please
be mindful of all the stylistic elements and changes we talked
about.
a. Run mm.1-57
Closure/Review
How many sections of the piece did we look at today? Did the
style change with each section? What were some of the ways that our
style changed? Were the changes more prominent in the melody or
countermelody?

Comprehensive Lesson Plan

Materials: Instruments, music, stands, pencil, staff paper, board with
writing utensil
Standards:
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
Students will focus on their performance as an ensemble, making
sure to have good tone quality at all times.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the concept of a chaconne bass and
able to describe its use in the first movement of Holsts first
suite.
2. Students will identify where in their part they have the bass
line and compare it to the first presentation in the low brass.
3. Students will write their own variation on the chaconne using
specific guidelines.
Procedure:
1. Today we were going to begin with a listening exercise. Will you
please take out your copy of the First Suite?
a. You will see that I have provided a copy of the first page of
the score and a worksheet for you to follow along with.
b. Can anyone tell me what the Baritone and Tuba play at the
beginning?
i. This is a special bass line called a chaconne, which is
also the title of the movement. The whole movement
is based on this one bass line. Can anyone tell me
how long it is?
1. Correct it is 8 measures long, and it actually
repeats 16 times throughout the piece.
c. You can see that there are sixteen lines on your worksheet.
As we listen, please fill out which instruments you hear
playing the chaconne. I will play the first statement a few
times to get it in your head.

2. Students will listen, follow along, and fill out the worksheet. After
listening the teacher and students will work together to fill out
the sheet.
a. Now that you know where you play the chaconne please
mark it in your part.
b. We are now going to play through our movement in
chunks, but today we are only playing when we have the
chaconne.
i. When you are not playing please mark in your part
the other instruments that have the line. You can use
the abbreviation guide I have up on the board.
ii. Rehearse the piece in chunks, practicing passing off
the chaconne from section to the next.
3. Now that we are very familiar with the chaconne, we are going to
discuss some of the ways it changed.
a. Played in inversion, different dynamic levels, brass played
eighth notes only.
b. Please get into groups of four (preferably different
instruments). You now get to create your own variation of
the chaconne. You are to use the same notes from the
original statement (see the score for help), but you can
change everything else.
i. The statement could be stretched out or compressed,
or you could change the rhythm and articulations.
Dont forget dynamics! Also state which instruments
you want to play the chaconne, but you dont have to
transpose the parts today.
Closure/Review
Today we talked about a chaconne; can someone define that for
us? How long was the one in this movement and how many times did it
repeat? How many times did you personal get to play it? How did you
change your variation of the chaconne?

Musical Rationale
This piece offers so many comprehensive musical opportunities.
Students have the chance to learn about Holst, and be exposed to The
Planets, which could open their minds to the orchestral world. They
could also study the Chaconne bass line and how it is passed through

the ensemble. One of the biggest challenges of this piece is being

mindful of the Chaconne and making sure it is always heard, unless the
director asks for other lines to be brought out. This piece also changes
style at different points, so it is important to be flexible. A strong low
brass section is needed at the beginning, and every section must be
confident with their part, especially when having the melody. The other
soloists must be equally as confident.
Score Analysis
The Chaconne bass line acts as the theme of this piece and
occurs sixteen times throughout. After the initial statement in the low
brass, the theme is transposed, inverted, and used in its original form
at different points throughout the movement. Additional voices provide
variation for each restatement, developing a distinct character for
each.
The Chaconne is eight measures long, with two four bar phrases,
which are commonly played as one large phrase. The first statement of
the chaconne is in the baritone and tuba (Statement A). Statement B
has the chaconne in the trombones with the firsts playing a fifth above
the original statement. The trumpets enter here with a countermelody,
and the statement ends on a half cadence. Statement C is in a similar
style, with the chaconne moving to the bass clarinet, bassoon, tenor
sax, and tuba/bass. The clarinets and oboes continue a countermelody
similar to the trumpets in the previous statement.

Statements D and E show a change in style. The chaconne stays

in the low voices, but the high brass and woodwinds are now playing a
light, detached, rhythmic passage. It is important that the sixteenth
notes be clean and that the players are subdividing to come in
together.
M. 41 is marked Brilliante, and is the F statement of the
Chaconne. Here the chaconne is represented in band hits, while the
winds play sweeping lines of sixteenth notes. The goal of the sixteenth
line is to sound as even as possible so the people that drop out must
make sure to come back in on time and blend. The woodwinds, save
the Saxes, drop out at Statement G and the trumpets play the
chaconne in a fanfare like manner, while the brass and low winds play
pesante eighth notes. The phrase ends on the first imperfect authentic
cadence in the piece.
The texture at statement H is the thinnest yet in the piece. The
chaconne is in Horn 1 as a solo and the third clarinet. The first clarinet
has a moving countermelody that should be brought out as well.
Statement I is also thinly scored and soloistic, with the chaconne in
solo alto sax, and a trading duet between the flute and oboe. This
statement ends on the only PAC in the piece.
Statements J and K are interesting because the chaconne is
inverted. This creates quite a different feel and would want to be
pointed out to the students. They key here also briefly changes to c

minor. Statements L and M are similar to each other and represent a

return to the beginning style and tonality.
I view statement N as a transition into the end of the piece. The
full band comes back in with the high winds and trumpet playing a
piano chaconne while the rest of the woodwinds have a running eighth
note line that crescendos into a rallentando.
The ending statement is full and strong with a fortissimo dynamic
marking. The tempo changes to Maestoso here and the style is quite
stately. I would encourage students here to work on playing with a full
sound that does not become too loud and spread. The final statement
ritards to the ends with the chaconne being stated a fifth higher than
the original. The movement ends on an imperfect authentic cadence in
E-flat.