Memorial Suite in C minor

Memorial Suite in C minor pays homage to one of the most epic pieces for wind band, the First Suite in E Flat by Gustav Holst and is published to celebrate its centenary. It is a four-movement suite that mixes the stylistic qualities of Holst with the characteristic sound idiom of Jacob de Haan. The result is a refreshing, original composition.

The first movement of the suite is, just as in Holst’s original, a chaconne (a contrapuntal variation form in a relaxed 3/4 time, originally a Spanish dance), in which a frequently repeated theme is repetitively provided with new counter melodies. This ostinato theme is also incorporated in the other movements, in numerous ways, making the suite, like the one by Holst, a thematic whole.

The second movement is a scherzo which is comparable to the intermezzo from Holst’s suite, with regard to atmosphere and progress. Then follows the third movement, ‘Song Without Words’, named after the second movement from the Second Suite in F, a work that Holst wrote two years later. This lyrical part has an alto saxophone solo halfway through. De Haan ends his composition with a march, as did Holst.