Holst obtained his first professional engagement in 1893, where he served as an organist at Wick Rissington, a small Cotswold village. Soon afterwards he also became organist and choirmaster of the choral society at Bourton-on-the-Water. These early experiences helped the young composer grow in his understanding of the workings of a choir.
What is Gustav Holst best known for?
Gustav Holst. Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, he composed a large number of other works across a range of genres, although none achieved comparable success.
What influenced Gustav Holst's music?
Gustav Holst. His distinctive compositional style was the product of many influences, Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss being most crucial early in his development. The subsequent inspiration of the English folksong revival of the early 20th century, and the example of such rising modern composers as Maurice Ravel,...
What did George Holst contribute to music education?
Holst’s pioneering methods, which entailed a rediscovery of the English vocal and choral tradition (folk song, madrigals, and church music), were influential in musical education in many English schools. Many of Holst’s smaller choral works, folk-song arrangements, and instrumental pieces ( e.g ., the St.
What was Gustav Holst's first piano performance?
In November 1891 Holst gave what was perhaps his first public performance as a pianist; he and his father played the Brahms Hungarian Dances at a concert in Cheltenham. [21] The programme for the event gives his name as "Gustav" rather than "Gustavus"; he was called by the shorter version from his early years. [21]
When did Gustav Holst start composing?
Holst was educated at Cheltenham Grammar School between 1886 and 1891. He started composing in or about 1886; inspired by Macaulay's poem Horatius he began, but soon abandoned, an ambitious setting of the work for chorus and orchestra.
What inspired Holst?
Holst is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets. Having studied at the Royal College of Music in London, his early work was influenced by Ravel, Grieg, Richard Strauss, and Ralph Vaughan Williams, but most of his music is highly original, with influences from Hindu spiritualism and English folk tunes.
Why is Gustav Holst important?
Born in Cheltenham in 1874, Holst is remembered today principally for his popular orchestral work The Planets, though his considerable output encompassed opera, ballet and other stage works, as well as choral, orchestral, chamber music and songs.
Why did Gustav Holst compose The Planets?
The work is based on astrological signs, which fascinated Holst, and not on the astronomical planets, which explains why Earth does not appear. Although Pluto was discovered and named a planet in 1930, and the composer lived until 1934, he had absolutely no interest in adding a movement.
Why did Holst not include earth?
Holst had not wanted to include the Earth in his suite because the suite was based on astrology, and Earth has no astrological significance. Pluto was discovered in 1930, four years before Holst's death, and was hailed by astronomers as the ninth planet.
Who wrote The Planets music?
Gustav HolstThe Planets / Composer
What kind of impact did Holst have on music education?
These were the most important of his teaching posts, and he retained both of them until the end of his life. Holst's pioneering methods, which entailed a rediscovery of the English vocal and choral tradition (folk song, madrigals, and church music), were influential in musical education in many English schools.
What musical period is Holst?
Gustav Holst was a major influencer of 20th-century music, especially the rock genre. A post-romantic and modern composer, Holst was intensely passionate about English folk music and played an important role in the advent of English orchestral music beyond the United Kingdom.
What genre is Holst The Planets?
orchestral suiteThe Planets, Op. 32, is a seven-movement orchestral suite by the English composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1917.
Why is Mars first in Holst The Planets?
When Holst started composing the suite in 1914, the movements appeared not quite in their final sequence. Begun in May 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, Mars was the first movement to be written and is frequently seen as Holst's critique of war. This was followed by Venus and Jupiter.
What movies use Holst The Planets?
Easy-peasy. ... The Grand Tour (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)- Enviro-mental (2016) ... ( ... 2016 How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change (Documentary) (writer: "The Planets, Op.32, Mars, the Bringer of War")2015 Mozart in the Jungle (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)More items...
What did Gustav Holst suffer from?
On 25 May 1934, Gustav Holst died aged 59 of heart failure, following an operation on an ulcer. His ashes were interred at Chichester Cathedral in Sussex, close to the memorial to Thomas Weelkes, his favourite Tudor composer.
What did Gustav Holst suffer from?
On 25 May 1934, Gustav Holst died aged 59 of heart failure, following an operation on an ulcer. His ashes were interred at Chichester Cathedral in Sussex, close to the memorial to Thomas Weelkes, his favourite Tudor composer.
When did Holst write The Planets?
1916The Planets / ComposedWritten between 1914 and 1916, The Planets is a seven-movement orchestral suite by English composer Gustav Holst. It received its orchestral premiere 100 years ago on 29 September 1918 in the Queen's Hall, London conducted by Holst's friend, Adrian Boult, before an invited audience of around 250 people.
Which composer's music was most influential specifically for military bands?
John Philip Sousa (/ˈsuːzə, ˈsuːsə/ SOO-zə, SOO-sə; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was a Portuguese-American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches.
What did Holst write?
The PlanetsJupiterThe Planets Suite for Orchestra...First Suite in E‑flat for Military Ba...The Planets Suite for Orchestra...In the Bleak MidwinterGustav Holst/Compositions
When did Gustav Holst perform?
In November 1891 Holst gave what was perhaps his first public performance as a pianist; he and his father played the Brahms Hungarian Dances at a concert in Cheltenham. The programme for the event gives his name as "Gustav" rather than "Gustavus"; he was called by the shorter version from his early years.
What instrument did Holst play?
Holst was taught to play the piano and the violin; he enjoyed the former but hated the latter. At the age of twelve he took up the trombone at Adolph's suggestion, thinking that playing a brass instrument might improve his asthma. Holst was educated at Cheltenham Grammar School between 1886 and 1891.
What was the name of the piece that Holst wrote for the opera?
In 1892 Holst wrote the music for an operetta in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan, Lansdown Castle, or The Sorcerer of Tewkesbury. The piece was performed at Cheltenham Corn Exchange in February 1893; it was well received and its success encouraged him to persevere with composing. He applied for a scholarship at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London, but the composition scholarship for that year was won by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Holst was accepted as a non-scholarship student, and Adolph borrowed £100 to cover the first year's expenses. Holst left Cheltenham for London in May 1893. Money was tight, and partly from frugality and partly from his own inclination he became a vegetarian and a teetotaller. Two years later he was finally granted a scholarship, which slightly eased his financial difficulties, but he retained his austere personal regime.
Why did Holst take away his poetry?
He frequently took away [because of] his abhorrence of unessentials.". As a composer Holst was frequently inspired by literature. He set poetry by Thomas Hardy and Robert Bridges and, a particular influence, Walt Whitman, whose words he set in "Dirge for Two Veterans" and The Mystic Trumpeter (1904).
Why is the Statue of Holst in his left hand?
Statue of Holst at his birthplace, Cheltenham. He is shown with the baton in his left hand, his frequent practice because of the neuritis in his right arm.
What did Holst do?
He hoped to become a pianist, but was prevented by neuritis in his right arm. Despite his father's reservations, he pursued a career as a composer, studying at the Royal College of Music under Charles Villiers Stanford. Unable to support himself by his compositions, he played the trombone professionally and later became a teacher—a great one, according to his colleague Ralph Vaughan Williams. Among other teaching activities he built up a strong tradition of performance at Morley College, where he served as musical director from 1907 until 1924, and pioneered music education for women at St Paul's Girls' School, where he taught from 1905 until his death in 1934. He was the founder of a series of Whitsun music festivals, which ran from 1916 for the remainder of his life.
Why did Holst use the prefix "von"?
He appropriated the aristocratic prefix "von" and added it to the family name in the hope of gaining enhanced prestige and attracting pupils. Holst's father, Adolph von Holst, became organist and choirmaster at All Saints' Church, Cheltenham; he also taught, and gave piano recitals.
What is Gustav Holst known for?
Gustav Holst is very well known for his magnificent orchestral composition, The Planets. He wrote the masterpiece in the years of World War I.
Who is Gustav Holst?
Gustav Holst. Gustavus Theodore von Holst was a music composer and teacher. He was born in Cheltenham, England on 21st September 1874. He mastered in different styles of music including choral, orchestral and chamber music. However his main area of expertise was the classical music. He fascinated his listeners by his melodic simplicity ...
How did Gustav die?
Gustav suffered from duodenal ulcer. Many efforts were made to diagnose his illness but all went in vain and he died in 1934 at the age of 59 after a failed surgery. A decent funeral was arranged for Gustav at the Chichester Cathedral where his own composed music was played by Vaughan Williams.
What was Gustav's first job?
Gustav got his first official job at the age of seventeen. He was appointed to play organ and act as a choirmaster at Wyck Rissington. He gave his first official performance with his father at a concert where he played the role of the pianist.
What was Gustav's childhood like?
Gustav was much neglected in his childhood. He was debile, had a weak sight and chest and suffered from neuritis. His hands used to quiver while playing piano or any other instrument. It was really hard for him to practice piano for long.
Who were Gustav Holst's parents?
His parents, Adolph von Holst and Clara Cox, too were related to the world of music. His father was a renowned pianist and his mother used to be Adolph’s student before they were married. Unfortunately Clara died after the birth of their second child in February 1882. Gustav was only eight at that time.
What was Gustav's original name?
The audience of that show called him Gustav which he opted instead of his original name “Gustavus”. In 1893, Gustav entered the Royal College of Music (RMC) but couldn’t get scholarship so he had to borrow money from his father. He left RMC in 1898 and joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company as their coach and rehearsal pianist.
Who was Gustav Holst?
The English composer Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham on 21 September 1874. His father Adolph von Holst was an excellent pianist and organist, and he was musically active in his local community. He married his piano student Clara Lediard, who was also a talented singer. The couple had two children, Gustav and his younger brother Emil. Emil became a minor Hollywood film actor under the name Ernest Cossart, and Gustav rose to become a most prominent 20th-century English composer. Much of his reputation rests on the immense popularity of his orchestral work The Planets. This attempt to musically describe the character of the celestial planets made Holst immortal.
What influences Holst?
Holst drew on a number of musical influences. For one, he looked at the 19th-century English school and the compositions by Hubert Parry and Edward Elgar. In terms of formal construction, though probably not in content, he was also influenced by Schoenberg’s Fünf Orchesterstücke, (Five Pieces for Orchestra) which he heard in 1914. After all, the original tile of The Planets was “Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra.” Holst also encountered the music of Stravinsky for the first time in 1914, “and although the influence may not seem direct, Holst admitted its importance to him.” Scholars explained that “the work is referred to as a symphonic suite, but this is not appropriate: the music’s originality does not lie in a symphonic treatment of its subject matter, but in the diversity of form and spontaneity of invention which Holst employs in each movement.”
What planets does Holst sing in?
Saturn is a sad processional, “and Holst is at his most relaxed and lyrical in Venus.” Mars produces some harsh dissonance, “Mercury a quicksilver elusiveness, and Neptune evokes remoteness and mystery.” In the last movement Holst uses an offstage choir of women’s voices, “singing wordlessly to magical effect.” Holst sounds a torrent of soaring and spheric sounds that creates the impression of leaving the edges of the universe behind and vanishing into infinite space.
What instrument was used in the music for the suite of Neptune?
Holst initially scored the work for two pianos, four hands. “Neptune,” however was written for a single organ, as the sound of the piano was considered too percussive to portray a world as mysterious and distant. He subsequently scored the suite for full orchestra and wrote, “These pieces were suggested by the astrological significance of the planets. There is no program music in them, neither have they any connection with the deities of classical mythology bearing the same names. If any guide to the music is required, the subtitle of each piece will be found sufficient, especially if it used in a broad sense.”
Who was Gustav Holst?
Gustav Holst was born Gustavus Theodore von Holst in Cheltenham, England, on September 21 1874, the son of Adolph von Holst and Clara Lediard, both talented musicians. Gustav was a somewhat sickly child, and although his father taught him piano from an early age, neuritis in his right arm made it clear that he was unlikely to have a career as a pianist. He also learned the violin (for which he had little enthusiasm) and, as a cure for asthma, the trombone. His first efforts at composition were made in his early teens, and by 1891 he had achieved a number of local performances of vocal and instrumental pieces.
What was the first major festival dedicated to Holst's music?
The sudden popular success of The Planets led to the publication and performance of many earlier works, most importantly of the opera Savitri, which had been composed in 1908, towards the end of his Sanskrit period. 1927 saw the first major festival devoted to his music. This was in Cheltenham, where in 1928 the first British performance of the orchestral Egdon Heath took place, the day after its New York premiere. Though acknowledged today as one of his most significant works, it met with a lukewarm reception. This had indeed been the case with much of Holst's music since The Planets: he refused to court popularity by writing what was expected of him. The huge success of this one work disconcerted a man who was essentially an introvert, although an inspiring figure to his many pupils and followers, and totally without pretension.
Where did Holst teach?
He decided to give up his orchestral career at the end of 1903, and was offered a teaching appointment at James Allen's Girls' School in Dulwich, in succession to Vaughan Williams. In 1905 Holst was appointed head of music at St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith, where he was to remain until the end of his life.
When was the first performance of The Planets written?
Although his reputation had been steadily growing during the years before the First World War, it was not until The Planets, written between 1914 and 1916, received its first performance (given privately as a gift from his friend Henry Balfour Gardiner in 1918) that he achieved genuine recognition. Before that took place he had already written, in 1917, the choral and orchestral Hymn of Jesus, perhaps the most characteristic and original work of his maturity.
Where did the Whitsun Festival take place?
The sound-proof music room at St Paul's School became his refuge for composition at weekends and during the school holidays; from 1916 he also worked at a cottage near Thaxted in the Essex countryside. Here he established a Whitsun festival in the local church for both amateur and professional musicians, which continued until his death.
What did Holst do in his early life?
These early experiences helped the young composer grow in his understanding of the workings of a choir. Choral music and the choral tradition in England would remain important throughout the rest of Holst's life.
Who did Holst study with?
At the College, Holst studied composition with Charles Stanford. Although he often disagreed with Stanford's opinions, Holst was always grateful to him, especially for teaching him how to become his own critic.
Where was Gustav Holst born?
1. The Early Years. Gustav Holst was born on 21 September 1874 in Cheltenham, England, the first of two children to Adolph and Clara von Holst. Adolph was an accomplished pianist who taught piano and practiced many hours during the day, much to the neglect of his wife, Clara, and their two children. Adolph's family was of Swedish origin.
Why did Holst take up the trombone?
Holst therefore decided to take up the trombone. It would allow him to play in orchestras and provide him with an income. Also, the experience would be useful to him as a composer.
What was the experience of hearing the Bach Mass in B minor?
He was so taken aback by the choruses that he felt as if he was floating about the crowds. It was one of the few memorable musical events in his young life thus far. The cramping neuritis in his right hand was perpetually defeating him as a keyboardist. Prolonged practice was impossible and he was forced to realize that he could not keep up his technique any longer.
What was Gustav's childhood like?
Gustav was an oversensitive and somewhat miserable child. His eyes were weak, but no one realized that he had to wear spectacles. His chest was also weak, and again no one bothered much with his asthma. He had to rest while climbing stairs. In his youth, Gustav hated practicing the violin, but enjoyed the piano, which he had began to practice as soon as his fingers could reach the keyboard.
Who was Gustav Holst married to?
In 1885, Adolph married another one of his students, Mary Thorley Stone, and Gustav was sent to Cheltenham Grammar School. His father was determined to make young Gustav a good pianist, but even in his youth Holst was troubled with neuritis in his hands. That made his long hours of practice a severe strain. As he grew older, Gustav tried his hand ...
Where did Holst serve?
Holst finished his year of service, mostly in Salonica, Greece, teaching music to, and organizing concerts for soldiers who were waiting to demobilize.
What was Holst's best work for unaccompanied voice?
Holst followed the Planets by eschewing the large ensemble it required, writing Four Songs for Voice and Violin and This Have I Done for My True Love, which is held by many to be his best work for unaccompanied voice.
What did Holst do for the YMCA?
Finally, an opportunity presented itself. The YMCA offered Holst a post as Musical Organizer in their educational work with soldiers on the Eastern Front. He was a man who clearly felt most at ease in the rarified and semi-cloistered world of academia, but he leapt at the chance nevertheless.
What was the impact of the war on Holst?
As the war progressed, Holst became more and more oppressed by his inability to do his part. During the worst of the air raids on London, he applied for work, of any kind that would help the war effort, over and over again. Each time he was rejected, the sting was worse. He thought of his brother Emil, who had forsaken a career on the stage in New York to join the Army, his wife who was driving wounded soldiers to hospital and his close friend and colleague Ralph Vaughan Williams, who was roughly the same age as Holst but had still been vigorous enough for military duty. He was particularly bothered by the list of former pupils who had perished in the war, including George Butterworth.
What was Gustav von Holst's full name?
Holst’s full name had been, up to this point, Gustav Von Holst. He had already tired of the public apologies for his Germanic ancestors that began to occur at performances of his work as soon as the war began. Now, in order to claim the coveted post from the YMCA, he legally removed the “Von” from his name. The British Royal family had also jettisoned their Germanic titles at the start of the war, so Holst was in good company. After a lengthy, expensive and frustrating legal process, Holst learned that the “Von” in his name was a falsity to begin with. As it turned out, his branch of the family had never had any right to the “Von” to begin with. It was adopted to guild the Holst lily.
What did people do in the intervals between the services?
In the intervals between the services people drifted into church and sang motets or played violin or cello. And others caught bad colds through going long walks in the pouring rain singing madrigals and folk songs and rounds the whole time. The effect on us all was indescribable...Most people are overcome by mountain air at first. In the same way others are excited by certain music.
Who wrote the hymn of Jesus?
In August of 1917, Holst took up the ambitious project of setting the Hymn of Jesus, from the Apocryphal Gospels, to music, translating the hymn from its original Greek himself. He was far from fluent in Greek, so he meticulously copied the original words, their phonetic pronunciations and their nearest English equivalents. For some time Holst sat with the hymn, pondering the meaning of its words and eventually writing an English translation that he felt preserved the spirit of the original.
Overview
Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, he composed many other works across a range of genres, although none achieved comparable success. His distinctive compositional style was the product of many influences, Richard Wagner and Ri…
Life and career
Holst was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, the elder of the two children of Adolph von Holst, a professional musician, and his wife, Clara Cox, née Lediard. She was of mostly British descent, daughter of a respected Cirencester solicitor; the Holst side of the family was of mixed Swedish, Latvian and German ancestry, with at least one professional musician in each of the previous three …
Music
Holst's absorption of folksong, not only in the melodic sense but in terms of its simplicity and economy of expression, helped to develop a style that many of his contemporaries, even admirers, found austere and cerebral. This is contrary to the popular identification of Holst with The Planets, which Matthews believes has masked his status as a composer of genuine originality. Against charges …
Recordings
Holst made some recordings, conducting his own music. For the Columbia company he recorded Beni Mora, the Marching Song and the complete Planets with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in 1922, using the acoustic process. The limitations of early recording prevented the gradual fade-out of women's voices at the end of "Neptune", and the lower strings had to be replaced by a tuba to obtain an effective bass sound. With an anonymous string orchestra Holst recorded the …
Legacy
Warrack emphasises that Holst acquired an instinctive understanding—perhaps more so than any English composer—of the importance of folksong. In it he found "a new concept not only of how melody might be organized, but of what the implications were for the development of a mature artistic language". Holst did not found or lead a school of composition; nevertheless, he exercised influences over both contemporaries and successors. According to Short, Vaughan Williams des…
External links
• The Gustav Holst archive at the Britten-Pears Foundation
• Gustav Holst at IMDb
• Free scores by Gustav Holst in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Free scores by Gustav Holst at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)