 As most British military bands of the day employed between 20 and 30 musicians, the 19 required parts could reasonably be expected to be covered, and the remaining parts could be added or discarded as needed without disturbing the integrity of the work.The First Suite was a catalysing force that convinced many other prominent composers that serious music could be written specifically for the combination of woodwinds, percussion and brass.Works such as the "English Folk Song Suite" (1923) of Ralph Vaughan Williams and the "William Byrd Suite" (1923) of Gordon Jacob are leading examples.