![]() It forms the essential textual basis of his vocal composition over the next few years, whereby he puts musical structure before the content of the text.ġ891–1897 – He becomes First Conductor at the Hamburg City Theatre and takes over as Director of the Symphony Orchestra. Director of the Royal Hungarian Opera, Budapest.ġ889 – Mahler begins the setting to music of the folk song collection compiled by Clemens Bretano (1778–1842) and Achim von Arnim (1781–1831) Des Knaben Wunderhorn. In his composing, he concentrates on the traditional forms of symphony and song.ġ885/1886 – Due to disagreements with the directorship of the Kassel Theatre, Mahler resigns his post and moves to work as Operatic Conductor at the German Landestheater in Prague.ġ886 – Appointed to the same position at the Leipzig Theatre.ġ888 – First meeting with Richard Strauss, with whom he remains close friends throughout his life. Mahler composes the cantata Das klagende Lied for solo voices, choir and orchestra set to his own text, and begins composing the fairytale opera Rübezahl, of which only the libretto is preserved today.ġ881–1882 – Theatre Conductor in Ljubljana.ġ883–1885 – Conductor in Olmütz, music and choir conductor at the Royal Theatre in Kassel from June 1983 onwards. To finance his studies, Mahler gives piano lessons.ġ880 – Assistant Conductor at Bad Hall (Upper Austria). His lifelong career in both education and composition comes together in this short suite, which is still a concert favourite today.1860 – July 7: Gustav Mahler is born to the businessman Bernhard Mahler and his wife Marie (née Hermann) in Kališt, (Bohemia).ġ870 – First public appearance as a pianist.ġ875 – Mahler begins to study music at the Vienna Conservatory.ġ877 – Enrolment at Vienna University – where, besides studying Harmony, he attends classes in History and Philosophy. When composing Brook Green Suite, Gustav Holst had his pupils in mind. The energetic finale concludes with the strings in bold unison. The chirpy melody is passed around around the ensemble, with Holst utilising staggered entries, cross-rhythms and more counterpoint to really showcase the melody. The melody derives from a puppet show that Holst saw whilst in Italy, and this forms the basis for this movement. The finale movement, the Dance, is based on an Italian melody that Holst heard whilst in Sicily. Similar in character to the opening movement, the serene, pastoral atmosphere continues. Holst’s use of counterpoint is at its height in this movement, with the two halves of the ensemble going off each other’s themes. The warm harmonies wash over the ensemble as the upper strings play the melody and the lower strings move between arco and pizzicato accompaniments. The slow middle movement resembles typical folk melodies of the time, although it is not based on one in particular. After a cheeky pizzicato statement of the main theme, the Prelude comes to a quiet close. ![]() This ensures no dramatic twists and turns, but a humble core in the middle of the range. The music itself only covers two octaves of the C major scale. The crossing of these two themes creates a rich texture that is easy on the ear. The upper strings play in unison, whilst the lower strings play a light counter-melody. The light pastoral style of this movement creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, that Holst was often known for. The opening Prelude is based around the scale of C major. Set into three movements, Brook Green Suite is set in a traditional way. Either way, the picturesque title sets the listener up for what is to come. ![]() Or, the name could come from the location of the school being on Brook Green in Hammersmith, London. The first being Brook Green itself, the place where he was married in 1901. Brook Green Suite has a number of different origins in terms of its name. ![]() Written whilst in hospital just a year before his death, Holst wanted to create a work that was easy enough for the younger members of the orchestra to play, that was not a “watered down” arrangement of another work. Gustav Holst composed his 1933 Brook Green Suite for the St Paul’s Girls’ School junior string orchestra. ![]()
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