We played this earlier last week in class. One of the percussionists stands up after we passed out parts and says, "We... we don't have an... anvil...?

It's weird for Euphonium players, we go from playing rather garbage parts when we start to playing incredible parts written by legends like Holst or Granger; and they loved the instrument.

Yeah I play 89th Clarinet. Super fun

We actually had to bring in an anvil for song of the blacksmith, then we realized that hitting it with a hammer wasn't loud enough, so we used a broken piece of an organ...

The Tuba and Piccolo duet at the end is actually quite ironic. It's basically the lowest and highest instruments in the band playing together. It makes for an interesting ending to an amazing piece.

First Chair flute and piccolo....back in the late 1960s. Played at competition festivals. Loved this piece. I can close my eyes and see the first trumpet, the french horn, clarinet. The Tuba player is now my medical dr. and the baritone player is a noted surgeon. Wonderful memories!!

"song without words" is one of the most beautiful things my ears have ever heard. i terribly miss playing this piece!!

cant argue with that euphonium solo

Some people say that Gustav Holst didn't have as much success from his "First Suite in E-flat." Holst, knowing that he had to write something better, decided to take it a step up for his "Second Suite in F" ;)

I am an embryo and I played every first part perfectly the first time without even knowing what music is.

Gustav Holst did 1911

Wow... Brings back the nostalgic feelings. My band played this 18 years ago in my senior year of high school as one of the concert festival pieces (with judges, etc.). That symphonic band program scored a Superior rating under the same director for 25 years in a row, my senior year being the director's final year in his teaching career. I was 1st-chair tuba in this band from grades 9-11, and I elected to play euphonium my senior year as we needed one and the 2nd chair guy was as good as I was on tuba. And, yes, I rocked that eupho solo. We listened to the playback of it with judges' comments and one of them commented that the eupho solo was like singing.

Every time I hear a professional oboist, I get chills. All I can think of is becoming that great someday. Especially when playing pieces like this. We played this two years ago, during my first year in the top band, and this year we're playing The suit in E flat. Super super excited. Love my oboe

I swear to god, I keep imagining this every time I hear this song: *March* Two ships from the same country set off to the oceans to go adventuring. One contains an prideful captain who is completely boisterous and cares more about his own accomplishments than the rest of his crew. At the 6/8 signature change (1:50), we see the captain of the other ship: a no-nonsense drill sergeant who's kind of a dick. At least he's efficient enough to get his crew to work. *Song Without Words* Both ships come across a recently abandoned battlefield in the middle of the sea. Entering from opposite ends, they both look upon the wreckage through the fog and mourn for the fallen sailors. *Song of the Blacksmith* Through the fog, both ships accidentally run into each other by surprise. The captains panic, and they get their crews manning the battle stations within seconds. Cannonballs fly through the mist, and after one final blast from both sides, the ships take severe damage and begin to sink. *Fantasia on the Dargason* Both ships are on the verge of sinking, so everyone begins to hoard themselves on the rowboats to save themselves. However, upon seeing the other ship's flags, the crews from both ships realize that they hail from the same country. Sick of their captains, the crews decide to kick them off of their rowboats and head to the other ship, picking up members of the other crew while they're at it. All the crew members escape on rowboats and row off into the distance, while the captains are left to watch on their sinking ships. The captains exchange mutual glances from afar. THIS IS JUST MY INTERPRETATION. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING ELSE, THEN I WON'T SAY YOU'RE WRONG. THAT IS ALL.

When people say they've "played this" in middle school, they are talking about a *super* easy version of "Fantasia on the Dargason", the last movement.

I love how the only people that care are the Euphoniums and Percussionists with the anvils.

Sight read every part at once before the song was even written, My grandpa hasn't even been born yet either.

There isn't much that makes me miss my high school days, but this....this. Also Fantasia on the Dargason might be my favorite arrangement of Greensleeves.

When we played this at a high school band festival in British Columbia, the best part had to be the anvil part in the Song of the Blacksmith. The whole time my fellow percussionist played it on a brake drum the adjudicator gave him a death stare of: "Why."

I am an unborn baby who didn't know anything about music and I just randomly blow in my mother's womb and produced the perfect orchestra for the entire piece.

I’m playing this in a “virtual band concert” with this Band Geeks community on Amino. I’m really excited

I play oboe and in our concert, I nearly cried during my solo during Song Without Words. The piece is just so beautiful

there are all of these comments saying how fun it was... then there's me. my school band is doing this, we suck. seriously. is no fun when you can get through 5 measures without stopping because someone decides not to play for some strange reason

Song Without Words is without a doubt my all-time favorite classical song. There's just something that's beautiful about it but at the same time a haunting tune.

Around 1:50 it changes from march to sea shanty.... I can't be the only one

Love all the band geeks uniting in the comment section

a sophomore and playing first trumpet for this song. lord have mercy on me. band rehearsal is going to kill me tonight.

Played this forty five years ago as a bassoon first chair…..listening, I can see the music in front of me. Great memories.

Just a percussionist passing through... (That anvil part tho)

What id give to play this piece. I would rock that euphonium solo. I really wanna play this in my band

That is the darkest oboe sound I've ever heard.

Song of the Blacksmith is easily one of my favorite Holst movements, I think it's kinda underrated

I get to play piccolo and flute for this piece this year and I'm so excited and I love the little solo at the end!

I played the solo in Song Without Words my freshman year in high school on my clarinet because we didn't have an oboe player. Definitely one of my fondest memories of band. (:

1. March 0:01 2. Song without words 4:24 3. Song of the Blacksmith 7:07 4. Fantasia on the Dargason 8:28

I love all these kids with Minecraft gaming channels saying how this is one of the easiest pieces their Middle School band has ever played. It legitimately makes me laugh.

We are playing this movement in our symphonic band right now, I love playing Euphonium so much; solos for life.

this piece really made me love being principal euphonium

4 Eupho solos in this piece! So good to play!

Playing this for my high school band this Winter. What a great piece.

The nostalgia. Gave me a heart attack having to play 1st trumpet 💀💀

euphonium swag

super fun piece for tuba!!

Song of the Blacksmith makes me think of bears dancing in a circle in the woods.

I played Tenor Sax and Bassoon for this 2 years back to back (7-8 ago) in High school and I forgot it existed; as soon as I heard the first bar I remembered the entire song. Wild how when you practice a piece for hundred of hours it comes flooding back.

"Song Without Words" reminds me of a son mourning the loss of his father at war.

2nd movement always makes me wanna play skyrim.

I stay trapping with a mean bass clarinet part

Here in December in highschool we played this last year and it was a blast. One of the best songs ever! This year we’re playing the first suite in Eb, this is sure to be a great year!

Gustav Holst really does make nice tenor sax parts

The clarinet play the theme on Dargason so many times I have it memorized. All the variations

I'm a zeroth year violinist and i didn't even use sheet music to play my part absolutely perfect.

Sight read this today and the euphonium player played the solo PERFECTLY. He’s something else

Still to this day I can play this song without looking at the music. Played it as a freshman (at one high school) and as a senior at the high school I graduated from. One of my favorite pieces.

Haven`t heard this since I played it in the Navy. Great rendition-played this on tuba. The e flat suite I also played on flute.

My favorite is the second movement. I just love the heartache in it and all the suspension. (I play 1st French Horn)

Played this for my fall concert on piccolo. Loved the solo at the end ❤️

Heartfelt thanks to you Oh TheMasterDecoder for this fine auditory memory. I had the distinct honor and rare privilege of playing this piece in the late 60s under the inspired direction of the late, great John B Robbins. If you are fortunate enough to be currently playing this masterpiece in an ensemble, cherish the experience. In years to come you will look back with great fondness upon this time. Best regards, Michael

Played this in wind symphony, fell in love with it #clarinetsforthewin

My music teacher is going to get our high school band to attempt to site read this tomorrow. Pray for us plz

A great piece, but at the same time, why does Holst have to Give us Euphoniums so many solos that kill any bit of chops we have

I love this piece so much, it carries a part of my soul

I played this my junior year of high school. It was so much fun to play, and because there were only three trombones (two tenors, one bass) I got to play out a lot!

I am just a thought in my parents' heads and I play all the parts in this song at the same time perfectly.

We’re playing this for our state piece and I’m super excited! Being a clarinet player myself, I’d say the last song would be the trickiest to look out for. To anyone else who’s playing this or has played, I hope it’s a blast! :)

Fantasia if the Dargason... just... ohh I love playing it

I played this as a sophomore in high school on oboe, now as a senior or is so nostalgic because we have the fourth movement in our marching band show and my brain still jumps to the muscle memory of the oboe part and fingerings despite marching piccolo.

That Euphonium Solo in the First Movement is fire.

I play baritone and I love this!!!

I play bass clarinet in my high school band and I love this piece so much that i have practices so much that I can play the 6/8 part with my eyes closed

My son Studied tuba and played in our county honor band. they played this in a regional band competition and he just nailed it. they won second place, and I'll always remember how how proud I was🤩🤩 He's now head of IT at a national Insurance company. Music should be an essential part of every child's education.

The bari sax part for Song with out Words kinda bops ngl

i had the euphonium solos as a junior last year and killed it

Brings back memories of our conductor Hans Ingemann Petersen conducting with the right hand while turning pages with he's left and never missing even a single misplayed note - "Hey stop, lets take it again from letter C - this time with feeling". Instrument: snare and assorted percussion. Very fond memories indeed thanks for posting.

I'm just figuring out how to play this for pure enjoyment and the clarinet part is so much fun!

This piece was even pretty difficult in high school. It became a lot easier after practice though. I still can't see a grade school band being able to play this piece.

Bass guitarist here, the 3 of us in my school's concert band covered the trombone and euph parts. We were just barely loud enough to be heard over the 30 flute players.

Fantasia om the Dargason is one of the most amazing pieces ever composed

I played the solo clarinet part at CMEA when I was a junior in high school. Holst rocks!

In movement three, it's actually ideal to use an anvil in the percussion. That's what the clicking is that sounds metallic. Our band actually uses a wheel well from a car and it works surprisingly well!

I haven't played this piece for almost 50 years but I still love it. I started off as second chair tenor trombone then moved to bass trombone. The euphonium solos are beautiful. Of course, for bass trombone, 1st Suite is the best!

This piece makes me really nostalgic. 9/20/22 I remember the seniors that graduated that year, I remember every single one of the soloists, the brass choir that played the first movement for state solo and ensemble. This was the last thing we played with them. o7 Brass Choir: Celeste, Mariah, Edward, Javi, Teddy, Israel. o7 Trumpet Section: Celeste, Dani, Jeremy, Mariah, Juan.

At 1:50 it sounds so much like the third movement of R. Vaughan Williams's Folk Song Suite. (I play flute and piccolo.) Amazing song!

Sight read this at practice after school today. I'm 2nd chair euphonium (at the moment) and my section leader offered me the solo in "March". Blew it first time through, but nailed it second time around. Really hope we play this for MPA or something.

1st movement: "Glorishears", "Swansea Town", and "Claudy Banks" 2nd movement: "I'll Love My Love" 3rd movement: "A Blacksmith Courted Me" 4th movement: "Dargason" and "Greensleeves"

Baritone Horn, beautiful sound. As a band director way back in the 70's I always taught my students by example. I was a Clarinet and Sax guy, but took so much pleasure in teaching my students, playing along with the Trombone, Baritone, and Sousaphone. I liked them all, easy to play and the large cup helped. Nothing better than the smooth sound of a Baritone horn.

I played percussion for this piece in high school, I remember there was a huge chunk of rests for the fourth movement, me and my fellow percussionist in the back would always dance with the beat, it just sounded absolutely amazing! Oh and the euphonium solo in the first movement is incredible too!

3rd movement is fun to listen too but playing it is HELLLLLLL

We are playing this in my band class and I have second clarinet. Anyways, the part at 2:00 is so much fun, challenging but fun!

For Big Band at my school, we are performing this piece during our winter showcase. My favorite is the second part of "March" but "Song without words" just hits different at night.

i remember playing first chair alto sax on this piece senior year for nyssma. we got gold with distinction. happiest moment of all high school

9:49 Don’t mind me, just putting a time stamp for practicing

Thank you for reminding me of my freshman year, loved playing this extraordinary piece. Loved playing each movement, but the second movement and the fantasia are still my highlights.

6:40- 6:43 is so beautiful in the clarinet section. I miss playing this piece!

Almost 3 years ago, I learned my first instrument, the trombone. Now I am playing this song for a festival, and I'm the only tuba. Life moves fast, doesn't it?

The Tuba solo gives me nightmares

Played euphonium all through high school and college. This suite was by far my favorite to perform.

Were playing this song in my band and "a song without words" made me cry the first time I heard it. I recently lost my son and it perfectly described how I felt, the longing, the loss for words, being empty but full at the same time, it's truly a masterpiece

As a euph player, there are so few songs where you really get to shine... this one was a fave for me.

We played this piece this past summer at Carnegie Hall XD