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Hammersmith (Holst)
''Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo'', more commonly known as just ''Hammersmith'', Op. 52, is a wind band work composed by English composer Gustav Holst in 1930, with a corresponding orchestral version. Commissioned by the BBC Military Band, the piece is based on Holst's love for the London borough of Hammersmith. The writing is more musically challenging than Holst's other wind band works, and is a wind band essential today. A typical performance runs for 14 minutes. History Composition and inspiration Holst was commissioned to compose the work by the BBC Military Band in 1930, and he finished the work that same year. It was Holst's first wind band work after 19 years, his last being the Second Suite in F for Military Band. Holst also orchestrated a version for a full orchestra in 1931. The piece is based on Holst's love for the London borough of Hammersmith. Imogen Holst, Gustav Holst's daughter, writes in her biography of Gustav: Those who knew nothing of this forty- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prelude (music)
A prelude ( or '; ; ; ) is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. While, during the Baroque era, for example, it may have served as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that were usually longer and more complex, it may also have been a stand-alone piece of work during the Romantic era. It generally features a small number of rhythmic and melodic motifs that recur through the piece. Stylistically, the prelude is improvisatory in nature. The term may also refer to an overture, particularly to those seen in an opera or an oratorio. History The first preludes to be notated were organ pieces that were played to introduce church music, the earliest surviving examples being five brief ''praeambula'' in the Ileborgh Tablature of 1448. These were closely followed by freely composed preludes in an extemporary style for the lute and other Renaissance string instruments, which were originally used for warming up the fingers and checki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
