A Clarinet,Bassoon,Double Bass,English Horn,Flute,Oboe - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1347202 Composed by Gustav Holst. Arranged by Ray Thompson. 20th Century. 16 pages. RayThompsonMusic #932001. Published by RayThompsonMusic (A0.1347202). Gustav Holst: Japanese Suite Op.33Mvt.I Ceremonial DanceArranged wind dectet/bass (double wind quintet)2nd oboe plays cor anglaisClarinet parts are in AThe Japanese Suite was written at the request of the dancer Michio Ito, who was working in London in 1915.Most of the principal themes are traditional Japanese tunes, which Ito provided to Holst by whistling them.The lone exception is the “Dance of the Marionette,†which is original to Holst.Despite its origins, there is little that is “Japanese-sounding†about the resulting suite. Rather, Holst set these tunes in the same kinds of harmonies and textures that he was using in his other works, also taking the opportunity to experiment with other influences that were in the air at this time, an openness few of his British contemporaries shared. It is not known if the suite was ever used for Ito’s dance performances, but in September 1919 it did become the first of Holst’s works to be performed at a Promenade Concert, after which it received a handful of performances in the British provinces.The suite consists of six parts including a prelude and an interlude:Prelude: Song of the fishermanCeremonial dance (This arrangement)Dance of the marionettesInterlude: Song of the fishermanDance under the cherry treeFinale: Dance of the wolvesIt is unknown whether Ito did indeed use the music. The first concert performance  was during the Proms of September 1, 1919 under the direction of Holst himself.
