Holst's The Planets

Started by Elgarian, April 27, 2012, 07:07:26 AM

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Mirror Image

Quote from: Peter Power Pop on January 06, 2015, 05:16:55 PM
It's bad news for a composer when you're a one-hit wonder. The recognition and acclaim can be enjoyable, but the lack of acknowledgement for everything else you've done can be enormously frustrating. (It reminds me of the time a fan went up to James Joyce and said "I must shake the hand that wrote Ulysses." Joyce replied, "It's done other things as well!")

I very much like Holst's other works (I love Beni Mora), but for the time being I'm consumed with The Planets, listening to as many different interpretations as I can.

Of course, The Planets is Holst's best work or at least one of his greatest IMHO, but there are some gems scattered throughout his oeuvre as you already well know.

So how many Planets do you own now?

mc ukrneal

What about the piano duet version (also scored by Holst)? Anyone have a good recommendation for that one?
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Mirror Image

Quote from: mc ukrneal on January 06, 2015, 05:34:49 PM
What about the piano duet version (also scored by Holst)? Anyone have a good recommendation for that one?

Since my dad owns all the Holst recordings or at least he collects them, I asked him about this and this is the recording he highly recommended:

[asin]B000009L4X[/asin]

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 06, 2015, 05:37:36 PM
Since my dad owns all the Holst recordings or at least he collects them, I asked him about this and this is the recording he highly recommended:

[asin]B000009L4X[/asin]
Has he heard the others? I see there are a few - more than I expected (this one, Naxos, Nimbus, Olympia/Albany, and Netmark). Goldstone and Clemmow (Olympia/Albany) look to be the most famous pair to have recorded it (though that doesn't necessarily mean anything).
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Mirror Image

Quote from: mc ukrneal on January 06, 2015, 05:47:09 PM
Has he heard the others? I see there are a few - more than I expected (this one, Naxos, Nimbus, Olympia/Albany, and Netmark). Goldstone and Clemmow (Olympia/Albany) look to be the most famous pair to have recorded it (though that doesn't necessarily mean anything).

I'm sure he's heard others, but this is the recording he recommended, so I would perhaps do some more research if you're uncertain about this particular recording. At least try and see if you can't sample several of the various performances.

Peter Power Pop

#285
Quote from: Mirror Image on January 06, 2015, 05:21:20 PM
Of course, The Planets is Holst's best work or at least one of his greatest IMHO, but there are some gems scattered throughout his oeuvre as you already well know.

So how many Planets do you own now?

I currently have 21 of 'em:


And there are more on the way (I'm grabbing as many as I can).

I've heard about two-thirds of that list so far. Thanks to Spotify, I've also heard Rattle's earlier (1981) Philharmonia Orchestra version, but I don't have it yet.


(*I mentioned the orchestra and recording date because the conductor has inconveniently recorded The Planets more than once, and with a different orchestra.)

Mirror Image

Quote from: Peter Power Pop on January 06, 2015, 07:30:22 PM
I currently have 21 of 'em:


And there are more on the way (I'm grabbing as many as I can).

I've heard about two-thirds of that list so far. Thanks to Spotify, I've also heard Rattle's earlier (1981) Philharmonia Orchestra version, but I don't have it yet.


(*I mentioned the orchestra and recording date because the conductor has inconveniently recorded The Planets more than once, and with a different orchestra.)

Very nice, Peter. I'm pretty sure my dad owns around 40 of them. I could be a little off, but I believe this is what he's counted.

Peter Power Pop

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 06, 2015, 07:40:09 PM
Very nice, Peter. I'm pretty sure my dad owns around 40 of them. I could be a little off, but I believe this is what he's counted.

Excellent. I wouldn't mind if he ripped them all*, converted them to FLAC files, and sent those files my way.


(*It just occurred to me that if most of those Planets are on LP, ripping them would be slightly difficult.)

Mirror Image

#288
Quote from: Peter Power Pop on January 06, 2015, 08:05:56 PM
Excellent. I wouldn't mind if he ripped them all*, converted them to FLAC files, and sent those files my way.


(*It just occurred to me that if most of those Planets are on LP, ripping them would be slightly difficult.)

No, they're all on CD and I'm pretty sure he doesn't rip many CDs these days. Looks, like you've got 39 to go to catch up with him. ;) ;D

Peter Power Pop

#289
Quote from: Mirror Image on January 06, 2015, 08:09:34 PMNo, they're all on CD and I'm pretty sure he doesn't rip many CDs these days. ...

Ah well. For a moment there, my eyes went very shiny with anticipation.

I'm not one for smiley faces, but... [insert un-smiley face here].

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 06, 2015, 08:09:34 PM...Looks, like you've got 39 to go to catch up with him. ;) ;D

Yes indeed.

I'm keen to find as many as I can. (All donations greatly appreciated.)

71 dB

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 06, 2015, 05:02:24 PM
I wonder if people on this thread have given his other music a listen?

Not really. The Naxos disc I have of The Planets contains The Mystic Trumpeter, Op. 18 as a filler. In a way I am curious about Holst's other works, but it all comes down to how much you have time and energy. Every minute I spend on Holst is away from other composers.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Peter Power Pop

Quote from: 71 dB on January 07, 2015, 12:49:47 AM
Not really. The Naxos disc I have of The Planets contains The Mystic Trumpeter, Op. 18 as a filler. In a way I am curious about Holst's other works, ...

Well, there's the "Non-Planets Holst" thread if you ever find yourself with a hankerin' for chatting about some, er, non-Planets Holst.

Quote from: 71 dB on January 07, 2015, 12:49:47 AM...but it all comes down to how much you have time and energy. Every minute I spend on Holst is away from other composers.

Fair enough.

Mirror Image

Quote from: 71 dB on January 07, 2015, 12:49:47 AM
Not really. The Naxos disc I have of The Planets contains The Mystic Trumpeter, Op. 18 as a filler. In a way I am curious about Holst's other works, but it all comes down to how much you have time and energy. Every minute I spend on Holst is away from other composers.

So you don't think Holst is worth exploring, 71 dB? Is The Mystic Trumpeter (a fine work IMHO) and The Planets the only works you've heard from Holst?

71 dB

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 07, 2015, 07:31:13 AM
So you don't think Holst is worth exploring, 71 dB? Is The Mystic Trumpeter (a fine work IMHO) and The Planets the only works you've heard from Holst?

No, I don't mean that. I mean it's a lot of "work" to explore all worthy composers/works. I seem to have these works by Holst:

- The Planets
- The Mystic Trumpeter
- Dirge and Hymeneal*
- Two Motets*
- Five Partsong*
- A moonside Suite*
- Nunc dimittis**


*on CDs I have bought for Elgar's music.
** on a culled CD given to me.

I actually have more Holst than I realised.  0:) I have to say I haven't paid much attention to those marked with * and **  :-\

For comparison, I don't know any works by Honegger, another composer whose surname begins with Ho...
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Daverz

Quote from: 71 dB on January 07, 2015, 09:20:41 AM
No, I don't mean that. I mean it's a lot of "work" to explore all worthy composers/works. I seem to have these works by Holst:

- The Planets

My favorite non-Planets Holst is Beni Mori.  This is on the essential CD Boult Conducts Holst on Lyrita.

Mirror Image

Quote from: 71 dB on January 07, 2015, 09:20:41 AM
No, I don't mean that. I mean it's a lot of "work" to explore all worthy composers/works. I seem to have these works by Holst:

- The Planets
- The Mystic Trumpeter
- Dirge and Hymeneal*
- Two Motets*
- Five Partsong*
- A moonside Suite*
- Nunc dimittis**


*on CDs I have bought for Elgar's music.
** on a culled CD given to me.

I actually have more Holst than I realised.  0:) I have to say I haven't paid much attention to those marked with * and **  :-\

For comparison, I don't know any works by Honegger, another composer whose surname begins with Ho...

I don't look at music as 'work' or a 'chore.' You either want to explore a composer or you don't. You either have the desire or you simply do not. There's a lot of music and so little time, but, at the end of the day, we choose what we want to listen to. Honegger isn't going to come to you and request you listen to his music. ;)

71 dB

Quote from: Daverz on January 07, 2015, 10:38:39 AM
My favorite non-Planets Holst is Beni Mori.  This is on the essential CD Boult Conducts Holst on Lyrita.
Okay, thanks. I'll register this piece of infomation for the future.  ;)
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 07, 2015, 10:44:50 AM
I don't look at music as 'work' or a 'chore.' You either want to explore a composer or you don't. You either have the desire or you simply do not. There's a lot of music and so little time, but, at the end of the day, we choose what we want to listen to. Honegger isn't going to come to you and request you listen to his music. ;)

Interesting point about Honegger ( one of my favourite composers). As the originator of the 'Non- Planets Holst' thread I agree that Beni Mora is a fine work but also put in a word for The a Cloud a messenger, which has some terrific proto-minimalist sections and for a The Perfect Fool ballet music, with its wonderfully poetic and atmospheric central section.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Daverz

Quote from: 71 dB on January 07, 2015, 11:09:38 AM
Okay, thanks. I'll register this piece of infomation for the future.  ;)

Amazon link:

[asin]B000027QWB[/asin]

Fabulous sonics, too.

vandermolen

Quote from: Daverz on January 07, 2015, 11:44:22 AM
Amazon link:

[asin]B000027QWB[/asin]

Fabulous sonics, too.

That's a great CD.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).