The music of Gustav Holst has always been a favourite amongst band conductors. Now there are a great more works by Holst available for band, at all levels of difficulty. A special mention goes to the arrangements of the First and Second Suites at the easier levels, so all students can now experience these masterpieces for wind band.
Tips for conductors
There are plenty of YouTube videos available of good conductors doing the First and Second Suites, such as this one of H. Robert Reynolds conducting the Baylor University Wind Ensemble.
This video of Leonard Bernstein, from his Young People’s Concerts, has many ideas for discussing The Planets with students.
Riccardo Muti
Eugene Ormandy
Standard Repertoire
Level 1
Title | Arranger | Publisher | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter from the Planets | arr. Robert W. Smith & Michael Story | Alfred/Belwin | 2:07 |
| March from First Suite for Military Band | arr. Story | Alfred/Belwin | 1:51 |
| Jupiter (from The Planets) | arr. Aric Branchfield | Ludwig-Masters Publications | 2:51 |
| Chorale from Jupiter | arr. Murtha | Hal Leonard | 1:50 |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | arr. Susan L. Smith & Robert W. Smith | RWS Music Company | 2:54 |
| Personent Hodie | Traditional arr. Gustav Holst & Michael Brand | G & M Brand International Music |
Level 2
Title | Arranger | Publisher | Duration | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire March | arr. Douglas E. Wagner | Alfred/Belwin | 2:07 | |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | arr. Bullock | Alfred | 2:48 | |
| Song Without Words | arr. Story | Alfred | 2:25 | |
| Mars | arr. Vinson | Hal Leonard | 2:13 | |
| The Song of the Blacksmith (Second Suite in F, 3rd movt) | arr. Loest | FJH Music Company Inc | 1:27 | |
| Jupiter (From The Planets) | arr. Mark Williams | Alfred | 2:15 | |
| Fantasia on the Dargason | arr. Story | Alfred | 2:55 | |
| The Planets (Themes from) | arr. Wagner | Alfred/Belwin | 3:50 | |
| Chorale from Jupiter | arr. Curnow | Hal Leonard | ||
| Marching Song | arr. Moss | Hal Leonard | 3:43 | |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | arr. Sparke | Dehaske | ||
| Jupiter (from The Planets) | arr. Feldstein & Clark | Playintime Publishing | 1:47 | |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | Harbinson | Alfred | 2:22 | |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | arr. James Curnow | Curnow Music Press | 3:05 | |
| Moorside March (Themes) | Curnow | Hal Leonard |
Level 3
Title | Arranger | Publisher | Duration | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Folk Tunes | arr. Wagner | Alfred/Belwin | 2:54 | |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | arr. Smith | Alfred | 4:12 | |
| First Suite in E-Flat Themes (Themes) | arr. Sweeney | Hal Leonard | 4:59 | |
| Mars (from The Planets, Flex Band) | arr. Vinson | Hal Leonard | ||
| Illumination | arr. Gene Milford | Daehn Publications | 4:16 | |
| Suite from the Planets | arr. Custer | Hal Leonard | ||
| Intermezzo from First Suite in E-flat (Build-a-Band) | arr. Scott Stanton | CL Barnhouse | 3:01 | |
| March from Suite in Eb (Third movt – Build-A-Band) | arr. Scott Stanton | CL Barnhouse | 3:06 | |
| Mars | arr. Michael Story | Alfred | 3:16 | |
| Mars (from The Planets) | arr. Bocook | Hal Leonard | 3:21 | |
| First Suite in E-Flat (Young Edition) | arr. Robert Longfield | Boosey & Hawkes | 10:39 | |
| Songs from the Second Suite (Build-A-Band) | arr. Stanton | CL Barnhouse | 3:41 | |
| Morris Dance Tunes | arr. Wagner | Alfred/Belwin | 2:45 | |
| Two Songs Without Words | arr. Frank Erickson | Mary Erickson | ||
| Three Folk Tunes | arr. Curnow | Hal Leonard | ||
| Christmas Day | arr. Douglas McLain | Baton Music | ||
| Songs of the West | arr. Curnow | Hal Leonard | ||
| Moorside March | arr. Curnow | Hal Leonard | ||
| Mars | arr. Balent | Carl Fischer | ||
| March from a Moorside Suite | arr. G Brand | C Alan/McClaren Productions | ||
| Jupiter-Themes | arr. Andrew Balent | Carl Fischer | ||
| I Vow to Thee My Country | arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams | G. Schirmer |
Level 4
Title | Arranger | Publisher | Duration | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars (from The Planets) | arr. Owens | FJH Music | 4:55 | |
| Jupiter (from The Planets) | arr. Owens | FJH Music | 3:02 | |
| Jupiter (from The Planets) | arr. Curnow | Hal Leonard | ||
| Fantasia on the Dargason (Build-A-Band) | arr. Scott Stanton | CL Barnhouse | 2:27 | |
| March from Second Suite (Build-A-Band) | arr. Scott Stanton | CL Barnhouse | 2:57 | |
| Chaconne (Build-A-Band) | arr. Scott Stanton | CL Barnhouse | 4:19 | |
| Hymns from the Rig Veda | arr. Jon Mitchell | Boosey & Hawkes | ||
| Marching Song | arr. Timothy Reynish | Novello | 3:30 | |
| Second Suite in F | adapt. Robert Longfield | Boosey & Hawkes | 4:45 | |
| Old Brenton Carol | arr. Smith | Alfred | 1:56 | |
| Christmas Day | arr. Larry Daehn | Daehn Publications | 5:50 | |
| Christmas Day | arr. John Winkelman | John Winkelman | ||
| Christmas Day | arr. Rhoads | Heritage Music Press | ||
| Christmas Day | arr. van Beringen | Dehaske | ||
| Christmas Day | arr. Myers | Lake State Publications | ||
| Uranus | arr. Curnow | Hal Leonard | ||
| Jig from Saint Pauls Suite | arr. G Brand | G & M Brand | ||
| I Love My Love | arr. K Singleton | Grand Mesa Music | 5:17 | |
| Somerset Rhapsody | arr. Clare Grundman | Boosey & Hawkes | ||
| Moorside March | arr. Ayatey Shabazz | Devmusic Company |
Level 5
Title | Arranger | Publisher | Duration | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Suite in E-Flat for Military Band, op. 28, no. 1 | ed. Colin Matthews | Boosey & Hawkes | 10:42 | |
| First Suite in E-Flat for Military Band, op. 28, no. 1 | ed. Frederick Fennell | Ludwig-Masters Publications | 9:19 | |
| Second Suite in F for Military Band, op. 28, no. 2 | ed. Colin Matthews | Boosey & Hawkes | 12:12 | |
| Second Suite in F for Military Band, op. 28, no. 2 | ed. Frederick Fennell | Ludwig-Masters Publications | 11:31 | |
| Moorside Suite | arr. Denis Wright | G & M Brand | 15:40 | |
| Brook Green Suite | trans. James Curnow | G. Schirmer | 6:53 | |
| Moorside March (from A Moorside Suite) | trans. Gordon Jacob | Boosey & Hawkes | 4:29 | |
| Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo, op. 52, H. 178 | Boosey & Hawkes | 14:30 | ||
| Mars the Bringer of War (from The Planets) | trans. Clark McAlister, ed. Alfred Reed | Masters Music | 8:00 | |
| Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity (from The Planets) | trans. Clark McAlister, ed. Alfred Reed | Masters Music | 8:00 | |
| Hymn to the Waters (from Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda) | arr. Smith | Alfred | ||
| Mars The Bringer of War (from The Planets) | arr. Chuck Sayre | G. Schirmer | ||
| Japanese Suite | arr. John Boyd | Ludwig-Masters Publications | ||
| Fugal Concerto, op. 40, no. 2 | arr. Geoffrey Brand | G & M Brand | 8:05 | |
| Dances from The Morning of the Year | arr. Brand | G & M Brand | ||
| Three Folk Tunes | Hal Leonard |
Level 6
Title | Arranger | Publisher | Duration | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Suite in E-Flat for Military Band, op. 28, no. 1 | ed. John Neumann | J. Neumann & Co. | 10:44 | |
| Second Suite in F for Military Band, op. 28, no. 2 | ed. John Neumann | J. Neumann & Co. | 11:29 | |
| Jupiter (from The Planets) | arr. Unknown | Boosey & Hawkes | ||
| Mars (from The Planets) | arr. Unknown | Boosey & Hawkes | ||
| Fugue a La Gigue | JS Bach arr. G Holst, ed. Mitchell | Boosey & Hawkes | 2:56 | |
| Dance of the Spirits of Fire | arr. Harpham | Novello |
