Is Gustav Holst a one hit wonder with THE PLANETS?

[amw]

Of course Holst is a one hit wonder. So is Mozart, with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and Bach (BWV 565).
Some composers are zero-hit wonders. Brahms and Schubert (name any work by either that has the name recognition of Planets or EKN) for example.
Beethoven probably scores highest, with as many as four: Symphonies 5 and 9 (distilled into the opening of the first movement, and the last movement, respectively), the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata,  and Fur Elise.

Brahms has the lullaby from op.49 which is definitely a hit. I think Bach also has a second hit in the form of the Minuet in G (which unlike BWV 565 is probably by him).

[JBS]

I seem to gave missed the Lullaby completely. I may have never even heard it before now!

I think the Hungarian Dances would be a better claimant. 
Speaking of which, in connection with the "hits not actually written by the composer who is famous for it" subthread

Only numbers 11, 14 and 16 are entirely original compositions. The better-known Hungarian Dances include Nos. 1 and 5, the latter which was based on the csárdás "Bártfai emlék" (Memories of Bártfa) by Hungarian composer Béla Kéler, which Brahms mistakenly thought was a traditional folksong.[3] A footnote on the Ludwig-Masters edition of a modern orchestration of Hungarian Dance No.1 states: "The material for this dance is believed to have come from the Divine Csárdás (ca. 1850) of Hungarian composer and conductor Miska Borzó."

(From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Dances_(Brahms) )

[Daverz]

Of course Holst is a one hit wonder. So is Mozart, with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and Bach (BWV 565).
Some composers are zero-hit wonders. Brahms and Schubert (name any work by either that has the name recognition of Planets or EKN) for example.
Beethoven probably scores highest, with as many as four: Symphonies 5 and 9 (distilled into the opening of the first movement, and the last movement, respectively), the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata,  and Fur Elise.

Schubert: Ave Maria

[Irons]

Of course Holst is a one hit wonder. So is Mozart, with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and Bach (BWV 565).
Some composers are zero-hit wonders. Brahms and Schubert (name any work by either that has the name recognition of Planets or EKN) for example.
Beethoven probably scores highest, with as many as four: Symphonies 5 and 9 (distilled into the opening of the first movement, and the last movement, respectively), the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata,  and Fur Elise.

Being pedantic, how can you be a one hit wonder with four? The Jupiter symphony must be up there with Eine Kleine. Schubert has the "Trout" and I wish I had a £1 for every playing of the Adagio of his String Quintet on "Desert Island Discs".

[Jo498]

The Planets is not close to being a "ringtone hit" or "classics of the movies", so the comparisons are lopsided.

There are at least two or three dozens of "ringtone hits" far better known than the Planets (I myself would probably not recognize some of the "Planets" besides Mars and Jupiter). E.g. by Bach at least the "Air", the badinerie from the flute suite, probably also Jesus, Joy, Sleepers awake, the beginning of the 3rd Brandenburg and probably a few more.

More apt comparisons for the Planets would be one hit wonders that are major works but not quite ringtone hits like the already mentioned Pictures of an Exhibition or Weber's Freischütz. I think Holst is in pretty good company there.

[Florestan]

Some composers are zero-hit wonders. Brahms and Schubert (name any work by either that has the name recognition of Planets or EKN) for example.

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5.
Schubert: Ave Maria.

[Biffo]

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5.
Schubert: Ave Maria.

Brahms - No - I would probably recognise it as one of the Hungarian Dances but not know the number
Schubert - Yes but there would be lingering uncertainty as to whether it wasn't that other syrupy confection already mentioned.

[Florestan]

Brahms - No - I would probably recognise it as one of the Hungarian Dances but not know the number

It doesn't matter whether one would know the number --- or even the composer; what matters is that this particular Hungarian Dance is known worldwide, probably much more known than The Planets.

Schubert - Yes but there would be lingering uncertainty as to whether it wasn't that other syrupy confection already mentioned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Maria_(Schubert)

[ChopinBroccoli]

Even within The Planets, there are just sections that I find overwhelmingly excellent ... the work on the whole I'm not yet convinced is genuinely great ... I think it's good and I think Holst was talented

I don't think of him as a great composer by any stretch and I find much of his music derivative and pointlessly austere and stiff ... so, narrowly speaking I'd have to say he's a bit of a one-hit wonder if we're comparing him to really major composers

In general, I think his music is solid and generally quite good but I think it's impossible to objectively deem him "great" or even "near great"

[SymphonicAddict]

Even within The Planets, there are just sections that I find overwhelmingly excellent ... the work on the whole I'm not yet convinced is genuinely great ... I think it's good and I think Holst was talented

I don't think of him as a great composer by any stretch and I find much of his music derivative and pointlessly austere and stiff ... so, narrowly speaking I'd have to say he's a bit of a one-hit wonder if we're comparing him to really major composers

In general, I think his music is solid and generally quite good but I think it's impossible to objectively deem him "great" or even "near great"

The Planets is one of the real orchestral masterpieces of the early 20th century, so I differ with you on that regard. However, your other comments fit what I think of this composer, although I do consider other works like Beni Mora, Japanese Suite, First Choral Symphony, Indra, The Hymn of Jesus, Ode to Death, A Choral Fantasia, Suite de ballet, Egdon Heath, St Paul Suite, etc being greatly impressive, moving or fun.

[ChopinBroccoli]

The Planets is one of the real orchestral masterpieces of the early 20th century, so I differ with you on that regard. However, your other comments fit what I think of this composer, although I do consider other works like Beni Mora, Japanese Suite, First Choral Symphony, Indra, The Hymn of Jesus, Ode to Death, A Choral Fantasia, Suite de ballet, Egdon Heath, St Paul Suite, etc being greatly impressive, moving or fun.

Totally fair take

[vandermolen]

The Planets is one of the real orchestral masterpieces of the early 20th century, so I differ with you on that regard. However, your other comments fit what I think of this composer, although I do consider other works like Beni Mora, Japanese Suite, First Choral Symphony, Indra, The Hymn of Jesus, Ode to Death, A Choral Fantasia, Suite de ballet, Egdon Heath, St Paul Suite, etc being greatly impressive, moving or fun.

I largely agree with you Cesar. In particulatr I rate the First Choral Symphony and Egdon Heath very highly. To your list I'd add The Perfect Fool Ballet Music, Hammersmith and the Cloud Messenger which has some wonderful moments. The band suites are good too.

[Irons]

The Planets is one of the real orchestral masterpieces of the early 20th century, so I differ with you on that regard. However, your other comments fit what I think of this composer, although I do consider other works like Beni Mora, Japanese Suite, First Choral Symphony, Indra, The Hymn of Jesus, Ode to Death, A Choral Fantasia, Suite de ballet, Egdon Heath, St Paul Suite, etc being greatly impressive, moving or fun.

It is. To evaluate Holst I think the way to go is look at him as two composers. One who wrote The Planets and another who composed the rest. A work as great, popular and untypical (of Holst) as The Planets casts a long shadow. I am pleased Suite de Ballet is on your list as it is a work I love.

[vandermolen]

Copied over from VW thread:
I just listened to a fascinating piece of archive material which was broadcast during the interval of the concert in Manchester last night (21/04). It features Vaughan Williams, in his characteristic upper class accent talking about Gustav Holst and (after Holst's 'Moorside Suite') the composer Herbert Howells talking about Holst. At one time Holst, VW and Howells taught at St Paul's Girl's School in Hammersmith, London. Towards the end of his life Holst turned up unexpectedly one Saturday night, at Howells's front door seemingly very ill. Howells invited Holst to join him and his wife for supper but Holst refused and said that he'd go up to Howells's study to look at manuscripts. By chance there was a Prom being broadcast that night featuring 'The Planets'. Howells invited Holst to come downstairs to listen to the broadcast of 'The Planets' but Holst said that he did not want to hear it! However he eventually came down to listen and when the audience spontaneously started singing the big tune in the middle of 'Jupiter' ('I Vow to thee My Country') Howells noticed that tears were streaming down Holst's face. At the end Holst left them saying that he didn't suppose that they would see him much more and he died shortly afterwards. The extract is after the broadcast of Vaughan Williams's Symphony No. 9, about 37 minutes into the broadcast and the Howells reminiscences are played after Holst's 'Moorside Suite':
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00169jf

[DaveF]

Thanks for that, Jeffrey - very interesting, and still moving nearly 90 years after the events.  Remarkable as well that Howells, a builder's son from the Forest of Dean, also spoke in that cut-glass accent - "The Plennets".

[vandermolen]

Thanks for that, Jeffrey - very interesting, and still moving nearly 90 years after the events.  Remarkable as well that Howells, a builder's son from the Forest of Dean, also spoke in that cut-glass accent - "The Plennets".

Yes, very true Dave!

[Mirror Image]

Holst most definitely is not a one-hit wonder! Just because the classical elite haven't bothered to explore his oeuvre in any kind of depth, doesn't make him a one-hit wonder. With works like the Choral Symphony, Japanese Suite, both Military Suites, Egdon Heath, The Hymn of Jesus et. al., I'm constantly surprised whenever I hear something from him, because, in most cases, it's always inventive and well-crafted. He had a wonderful imagination and style. It's too bad many people don't hear this or see what else he composed.

[The new erato]

But can it be a hit if it's virtually unknown by music lovers? There are quite a number of composers writing very good works nobody knows. Are they still hits?

[Mirror Image]

But can it be a hit if it's virtually unknown by music lovers? There are quite a number of composers writing very good works nobody knows. Are they still hits?

Good point and this is why I feel people getting into Holst need to look beyond The Planets. There's just so much more there, but this could be said of many well-known composers. The unknown composers don't have this problem.

[vandermolen]

Good point and this is why I feel people getting into Holst need to look beyond The Planets. There's just so much more there, but this could be said of many well-known composers. The unknown composers don't have this problem.

I very much agree John - his other work has been overshadowed by the popularity of The Planets. In particular the First Choral Symphony (although there was no second one), The Perfect Fool Ballet Music, Egdon Heath, The Hymn of Jesus, Hammersmith, Beni Mora, Suites for Military Band and The Cloud Messenger etc.