IDAGIO | Holst: The Planets – Deborah Cheetham Fraillon: Earth 9360815000369

Featuring

Jaime Martín
Deborah Cheetham
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Gustav Holst
Deborah Cheetham Fraillon

Did you know?

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Holst emphasized that The Planets was not 'programme music' like Richard Strauss's tone poems, stating that the subtitles for each movement were sufficient guides to the music's astrological significance.

Cultural Impact

Holst's The Planets, a foundational piece of space music, served as a clear model for parts of sci-fi scores including The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and Star Wars.

Critical Reception

At its 1919 premiere, conductor Adrian Boult initially thought The Planets' 'totally new language' needed gradual public introduction, but Holst's daughter recalled charwomen dancing during the 'Jupiter' movement.

Composer's Artistic Vision

The Planets was inspired less by astronomy than by astrology, with Holst admitting a fascination with how human personalities might be affected by celestial bodies.

Album & Artwork

The album artwork by Simone Thomson, a Wurundjeri / Yorta Yorta artist, depicts a halo of gold ochre dust, symbolizing ceremony, musical instruments, and the significance of story within music.

Composition History

Holst began conceiving The Planets, originally titled 'Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra,' after making a New Year's resolution in 1911 to be more ambitious as a composer.

Compositional Technique

The Planets is a nearly hour-long, seven-movement orchestral suite, a concept that had little precedent and was symphonic in scope but not in traditional symphony form.