Holst: Second Suite for Military Band

David Werden
Good air behind every note. Project to the back of the hall. Play especially full in the lower notes so they aren't lost.

The Holst is one of the most important solos in the literature. It is a song, so use a good amount of vibrato, but not on every note. Choose your times. The toughest trick is to play with a great deal of projection without sounding edgy.

Neal Corwell
Play this solo boldly with a rich and full sound, and definitely stronger than the indicated "mf" dynamic. The solo must be strong and vibrant with lots of energy. perfect intonation and a consistent tone quality on ALL pitches.

Be sure to give weight to the "F"s in the third bar of rehearsal letter "F". Also, give as much length as you can to the final note of this particular phrase without letting your breath disrupt the rhythm leading into the next phrase (with the "C" pickup notes). Vibrato should definitely be used, but I find that too much is annoying. In my opinion, the only thing worse than too much vibrato (i.e.. very wide and ultra fast!) is the use of the exact same vibrato (with regard to speed and width) for every single note.