Non-Planets Holst

[71 dB]

To general public non-Planets Holst is as distant as Pluto.

I have made some attempts at getting to Holst beyond the Planets, but I haven't been very successful. Just listened to 'A Moor Suite', but again it left me cold (a poor CD on CRD label I bought long ago for Elgar's 'The Severn Suite').

[Karl Henning]

To general public non-Planets Holst is as distant as Pluto.

I have made some attempts at getting to Holst beyond the Planets, but I haven't been very successful. Just listened to 'A Moor Suite', but again it left me cold (a poor CD on CRD label I bought long ago for Elgar's 'The Severn Suite').

Holst's music won't really hit the Elgar buttons, of course.  Holst's unique character is, in part, that although his music breathes much the same air as Elgar and Vaughan Williams, his textures are typically simpler, sparer.

I really like The Hymn of Jesus.

[Biffo]

So apart from The Piece Which [in this thread] We Do Not Name, would the most popular (or most widely disseminated) Holst be the Suites for Military Band?

I have a Double Decca entitled 'The Essential Holst'; it contains -

The Planets (Solti)
The Perfect Fool
Egdon Heath

St Paul's Suite
A Moorside Suite (played by Grimethorpe Colliery Band)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda
The Hymn of Jesus
Also three other short choral works

I have some of these in other recordings but, apart from the ubiquitous Planets, St Paul's Suite is the one that seems to crop up most often on other albums

[71 dB]

Holst's music won't really hit the Elgar buttons, of course.  Holst's unique character is, in part, that although his music breathes much the same air as Elgar and Vaughan Williams, his textures are typically simpler, sparer.

I really like The Hymn of Jesus.

I'll check The Hymn of Jesus out. I will be getting Choral Fantasia & Psalm 86 with the "Finzi/Holst/RVW dics" I just ordered.

[Karl Henning]

I'll check The Hymn of Jesus out. I will be getting Choral Fantasia & Psalm 86 with the "Finzi/Holst/RVW dics" I just ordered.

Those are lovely, as well.

[Karl Henning]

I have a Double Decca entitled 'The Essential Holst'; it contains -

The Planets (Solti)
The Perfect Fool
Egdon Heath

St Paul's Suite
A Moorside Suite (played by Grimethorpe Colliery Band)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda
The Hymn of Jesus
Also three other short choral works

I have some of these in other recordings but, apart from the ubiquitous Planets, St Paul's Suite is the one that seems to crop up most often on other albums

That's part of the dilemma, I think:  overworking what is, with no disgrace (of course), a minor work.

[Christo]

Now if it was to be a Anthon van der Horst thread I would be up for it.

Good to learn! A bit OT, here: but do you happen to know his (orchestral) Reflections Sonores, Op. 99? I own a few locally produced cd's with his music, using rather poor radio recordings.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

To general public non-Planets Holst is as distant as Pluto.

I have made some attempts at getting to Holst beyond the Planets, but I haven't been very successful. Just listened to 'A Moor Suite', but again it left me cold (a poor CD on CRD label I bought long ago for Elgar's 'The Severn Suite').

I think Egdon Heath is a natural next thing to try. It is a symphonic poem which you will sometimes see described as Holst's best work.

[Biffo]

Good to learn! A bit OT, here: but do you happen to know his (orchestral) Reflections Sonores, Op. 99? I own a few locally produced cd's with his music, using rather poor radio recordings.

I have a confession to make: I was making a little joke, following on from other composers whose names are a bit like Holst. I only have one piece by Anthon van der Horst, his Symphony No 1, Op 23. It is part of Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Volume II, 1950-1960. The set contains various works by contemporary Dutch composers. As well as A van der H, there is Hans Henkemans, Matthus Vermeulen and Sem Dresden. I have listened to all the works included in the set, some of them more than once, but can't pretend to any great familiarity.

[Christo]

I have a confession to make: I was making a little joke, following on from other composers whose names are a bit like Holst. I only have one piece by Anthon van der Horst, his Symphony No 1, Op 23. It is part of Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Volume II, 1950-1960. The set contains various works by contemporary Dutch composers. As well as A van der H, there is Hans Henkemans, Matthus Vermeulen and Sem Dresden. I have listened to all the works included in the set, some of them more than once, but can't pretend to any great familiarity.

A good one; own that anthology too, good to know that it crossed the Channel. Yet, Van der Horst did a few things that I like: these Reflections Sonores (variations of the 'concerto for orchestra' type that I also admire in the case of Respighi (Metamorphoseon) and Ginastera (Variaciones concertantes), or even Cornelis Dopper's Ciaconna Gotica, plus one of his eight Chorus (not recorded), his Organ concerto.

In the case of Gustavus Theodore von Holst, to hasten to be more OT again, some favourites include Invocation (1911), Beni Mora (1910), Egdon Heath (1927), Hammersmith (1931), Lyric Movement (1933). But the two 'greatest' hits besides The Planets are for me The Hymn of Jesus (1917) and First Choral Symphony (1924).

[71 dB]

I think Egdon Heath is a natural next thing to try. It is a symphonic poem which you will sometimes see described as Holst's best work.

I believe Egdon Heath is a work I tried a few years ago to get into non-Planets (Plutonic?) Holst. Maybe I revisit it someday. 

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

I believe Egdon Heath is a work I tried a few years ago to get into non-Planets (Plutonic?) Holst. Maybe I revisit it someday. 

I personally like it better than the Planets (taken as a whole). I wouldn't put in the top rank of my favorite pieces overall.

[vandermolen]

A Somerset Rhapsody is another possibility, especially if you like the more pastoral by-ways of Vaughan Williams. Towards the end of his life Holst became concerned that his music was too cold and distant ('Neptune' HaHa!)
He wanted his music to express more warmth. The last ditch 'Lyric Movement' for Viola and Orchestra is IMHO a lovely late work. I may have got the title wrong so will check.

PS it's the right title - for Viola and (very) small orchestra.

Also, this is beautiful I think:

Love on my heart from Heaven fell from Seven Partsongs. It only two and a half minutes:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iqwKqz6vYBo

There are a couple of other postings of it on YouTube if this one doesn't work.

[Sergeant Rock]

Also, this is beautiful I think:

Love on my heart from Heaven fell from Seven Partsongs. It only two and a half minutes:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iqwKqz6vYBo

Yes, really lovely. But it's only had 28 views in three and a half years! Poor Holst.

Sarge

[vandermolen]

Yes, really lovely. But it's only had 28 views in three and a half years! Poor Holst.

Sarge

Glad you liked it Sarge. I was only aware of it as it featured in a TV documentary about the composer.

This one's had about 400 views and includes the words presented in 'Star Wars' fashion:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qJdZYgoWZkM

[Klaatu]

Nothing to do with Holst's music, but I was intrigued to recently discover that Gustav Holst's brother was the film actor Ernest Cossart, who specialised in playing butlers:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Cossart

As Michael Caine would say, "There's not a lot of people know that!"

PS I really like 'The Hymn of Jesus'. I've yet to hear the Choral Symphony but I'll make this a priority after all the recommendations on this thread.

[vandermolen]

Nothing to do with Holst's music, but I was intrigued to recently discover that Gustav Holst's brother was the film actor Ernest Cossart, who specialised in playing butlers:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Cossart

As Michael Caine would say, "There's not a lot of people know that!"

PS I really like 'The Hymn of Jesus'. I've yet to hear the Choral Symphony but I'll make this a priority after all the recommendations on this thread.

How interesting! Thanks for posting that info.

[Christo]

some favourites include Invocation (1911), Beni Mora (1910), Egdon Heath (1927), Hammersmith (1931), Lyric Movement (1933). But the two 'greatest' hits besides The Planets are for me The Hymn of Jesus (1917) and First Choral Symphony (1924).

Honesty compelling me to add, that I also have a special liking for his - folksy, typically Holst - suites like: First & Second Suites for military band (1909 & 1911), St Paul's Suite (1913), A Moorside Suite (preferably for strings, 1928), Brook Green Suite (1933). 

[vandermolen]

Honesty compelling me to add, that I also have a special liking for his - folksy, typically Holst - suites like: First & Second Suites for military band (1909 & 1911), St Paul's Suite (1913), A Moorside Suite (preferably for strings, 1928), Brook Green Suite (1933). 

I like both suites for military band and also Hammersmith.

[Karl Henning]

The band suites are beloved classics in that lit;  great fun to play, and thoroughly gratifying music.