Fantasia on the Dargason

From Holst's Second Suite in F, this fantasia opens with an alto saxophone solo based on the folk tune Dargason, a 16th-century English dance tune. It continues through several variations encompassing the full capabilities of the band. A second tune, Greensleeves, is cleverly woven in by the use of hemiolas, with Dargason in 6/8 and Greensleeves in 3/4. At the climax of the movement, the two competing themes are placed in competing sections. As the movement dies down, a tuba and piccolo duet forms a callback to the beginning of the suite with the competition of low and high registers.