A century ago James Causley Windram, then band director of the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers and, later, the Coldstream Guards, asked Gustav Holst if he could transcribe some of the composer's Hymns from the Rig Veda for military band.ÿAlways a band advocate,ÿHolst readily agreed. Two of Windram's settings, Hymn of the Travellersÿand Battle Hymn have been edited for modern instrumentation while a third, Hymn to Manas, has been arranged from Holst's original choral settingÿby Jon Ceander Mitchell for inclusion in this thoroughly characteristicÿsuite.