Holst: The Planets
Gustav Holst
B. Sept. 21, 1874, Cheltenham, England
D. May 25, 1934, London, England
During the years just prior to World War I, English composer Gustav Holst became interested in astrology and learned to cast horoscopes. The diverse characters associated with the planets in both astrology and Roman mythology “suggested music” to Holst. The result was The Planets, a suite of seven short tone poems. The work proved immediately successful, catapulting its composer, an obscure music teacher, to sudden fame. READ MORE