The opus number of Elgar’s two “Wand of Youth” Suites is given as “1”, because they were based on melodies mostly composed when he was a boy in Worcester. This Mini-Suite is arranged by Philip Le Bas for a wind quintet from the full orchestration that Elgar wrote forty years later, full of the rich sounds and characteristic playfulness that permeates so much of his famous works. The six movements are chosen to form a whole and to work particularly well with a small wind ensemble. The suites bear the subtitle “Music for a Child’s Play”.

1) Overture: Elgar’s sweeping melodies and harmonies start off the suite at a fast pace, setting the scene of the play as busy and purposeful.

2) Serenade: The clarinet has the gorgeous little tune at the start of this gentle serenade, and it is soon taken over by the other instruments and developed to a satisfying piece of counterpoint.

3) Minuet: The original instruction “The two old people enter” sets the character of this “old style” minuet, which is to be played with grace and restraint.

4) The Little Bells: This movement is labelled as a “Scherzino” and it is extremely fast (especially if you follow the original metronome marking of crotchet = 144, although the arranger recommends taking it a little slower!) Although quite a challenge to play, it is full of fun and excitement and is interspersed with a typically Elgarian romantic second subject.

5) Moths and Butterflies: As the name suggests this little dance is delicate and stylish.

6) Sun Dance: The finale of the Mini-Suite is a dramatic “presto” in C major, which breaks into a rapid waltz, overlapping its tune more and more on different instruments, before ending the play with “aplomb!”