A tuba establishes the simple, five-note motif. Woodwinds respond. The full ensemble quickly joins the fray.
So begins Gustav Holst’s celebrated Second Suite for Military Band. Written in 1911, the piece remains a foundational work in the concert band repertoire. It consists of four movements that draw on a series of traditional English folk songs and dance tunes, from the opening Morris Dances “Glorishears” and “Blue Eyed Stranger” to the Riley Ballads “Swansea Town” and “Claudy Banks” to the 16th-century standards “Dargason” and “Greensleeves.”
At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, the Washington University Wind Ensemble — one of the largest musical groups on campus — will perform Holst’s Second Suite, alongside works from Aaron Copland, Adam Gorb, Cécile Chaminade, Carl Maria von Weber and Arturo Márquez. The free concert will take place in the 560 Music Center.
For more information, visit music.wustl.edu.
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