The 3/4 time and stately introduction of the musical theme by the lower brasses give the Chaconne, the first of this composition's three movements, a dignified character appropriate to the Spanish dance that is its namesake. Often played by military-style bands in concert or competition, it is cleverly written to showcase the various musical colors and abilities of the wind band instruments. 1 in E flat is considered the first meaningful step toward making the military band a serious concert medium.
Instead of approaching such compositions from an orchestral perspective by simply writing pieces for an orchestra without strings, Holst's works were specifically created for wind band and offer a crispness of musical line that became the foundation of twentieth century band and drum corps style. His experience as a band musician gave Holst a distinct advantage over other composers in this medium. As a professional trombonist, Holst was appalled by the lack of repertoire for bands which then consisted of marches, unimaginative operatic potpourris and hackneyed arrangements of popular songs. Written in 1909 for military band, it is the first significant composition to showcase the expressive range and capabilities of brass and woodwind bands. 1 in E flat is the cornerstone of twentieth century band repertoire.
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