The movements are: • Prelude • Air • Dance The first movement, the
Prelude, is based on the
C major scale, with the cellos covering 2 octaves of the scale. The composer used music resembling English folk melody with
harmony in the second movement, the
Air, but it is not based on a traditional folk piece. The structure is reminiscent of the counterpoint of
Lyric Movement, also written in 1933, which has full enharmonic relations but remains austere. The final movement, the
Dance, is based on a melody heard by Holst while in
Sicily. The piece also originally contained a fourth movement, a
Gavotte, which was removed after the first informal performance in 1934, the last concert Holst attended. In early 1929, Holst heard a tune during a puppet show and he utilised it in the last movement. ==References==