Review

Gustav Holst
Jupiter Hymn "I Vow to Thee, My Country":

Arranged by Dhruv Moorthy

4 tenors (optional bass)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2024
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

Health problems prevented Gustav Holst from serving in the British army in WWI. Instead, he volunteered with the YMCA as a musical organizer and educator. During this time, he composed his career defining work, The Planets. Although it was not written in response to the war, the first movement “Mars, Bringer of War” became forever linked to this devastating European conflict. The majestic hymn tune now titled Thaxted that occurs in the middle of the Jupiter movement became popular during the war, and in 1918 was set to the patriotic hymn text, I Vow to Thee My Country. It is this hymn that Dhruv Moorthy arranges for trombone quartet.

Moorthy’s setting is for intermediate players, accessible to middle school or early high school trombonists. The first trombone part ranges only to f1 and the bass trombone part to low F. An f-attachment will be helpful but is not necessary. The other parts remain in the staff. Moorthy distributes the melody evenly among the four parts, doubling the melody at times or harmonizing a countermelody. The accompaniment is simple and chordal—mostly quarter notes and half notes.

It is encouraging to see a quartet that most trombonists will be able to perform. Certainly, student trombonists will benefit from the arrangement. In 1982, Anglican hymn writer Michael Perry wrote the poem, O God Beyond All Praising, to fit the Thaxted tune. Amateur church trombonists will find this arrangement useful in their worship services.