Gustav Holst Presentation by: Olivia Omer

Music 1010

Gustav Theodore von Holst

Born: September 21, 1874

Died: May 25, 1934

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Family• Father: Adolph von Holst

Piano virtuoso & teacher

• Mother (left): Clara von Holst

Died after giving birth to Gustav

• Brother (right): Ernest Cossart

Hollywood actor

http://www.holstmuseum.org.uk/ http://upload.wikimedia.org/

Childhood• Known to be a weak child• Suffered from neuritis and

asthma• Poor eyesight• Loved playing piano and

disliked playing violin

http://www.holstmuseum.org.uk/

Education• Attended the Royal College of Music in London

• Supervised under Charles Stanford• Met friend and colleague Ralph Vaughan Williams

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Early Music Career & Married Life

• Joined the Hammersmith Socialist Choir

• Met Isobel Harrison; married in 1901

• Became music director at both Morley College and St. Paul’s Girls’ School http://media.iwm.org.uk/

Other Interests• Attended socialist

movements’ lectures• Became vegetarian• Influenced by Hinduism

and Sanskrit– Attended University

College London to translate Sanskrit texts into English

– These texts influenced his music

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Later Achievements• Conducted for the London

Symphony Orchestra• Broadcasted his works on

BBC radio• Commissioned by BBC to

write for England’s military band

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Last Years• Health digressed• Fell and suffered from a

concussion• Unsuccessful stomach surgery• Died: May 25, 1934

– Cremated in London

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Composition HistoryStudied and Worked at:

Royal College of Music, Hammersmith Socialist ChoirSt. Paul’s Girls’ School, Morley College

& London Symphony Orchestra

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The Planets Op. 32• Written between 1914-1916• Contains seven movements

– “Mars, the Bringer of War”– “Venus, the Bringer of Peace”– “Mercury, the Winged Messenger”– “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity”– “Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age”– “Uranus, the Magician”– “Neptune, the Mystic”

Major Influence of The Planets Op. 32

• Igor Stravinsky– Russian composer– Traveled to England and

shared his music– Known for unsettling

tones and unconventional meters http://moniquespassions.com/

Listening Guide:Selections from The Planets Op. 32

• First movement– Mars, the Bringer of War (0:00-7:20)

• Second movement– Venus, the Bringer of Peace (7:21-15:58)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83J68Y7Z1nk

I. Mars, the Bringer of War(0:00-7:20)

• Begins with violins – pizzicato• Unsettling tone and rhythm; minor• Volume grows louder• Timpani enters, establishing a more

solid beat• Brass section takes melody from

strings• Tone becomes unmistakingly

powerful

• Melody is taken over by cellos, then trumpets• The distressful tone from beginning continues• Strings then carry melody, accompanied by

strong brass section• Finally, volume decreases• Ascending scales from strings• Orchestra holds final note – strong and

angrily• Chilling and abrupt end

II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace (7:21-15:58)

• Begins with soft brass solo• Tempo is slow and consistent• Flutes provide harmony• Harps enters; peaceful tone• Brass enters, completing a rounded sound• Strings enter with ascending notes• Violin solo; pleasant; accompanied by flutes• Full instrumentalization; fuller sound

• Brief solo by cello• Harp and flutes carry the gentle melody• Oboe solo and strings intensify• Tone and feeling is breathy, slow,

pleasant• Strings continue to carry melody• Flutes fade out• Rhythm becomes twice as slow until

softly fading away entirely

fine

Bibliography • Lace, I. (2007, January 1). A Biography of Gustav Holst. . Retrieved June 27, 2014,

from– http://www.gustavholst.info/biography – http://www.gustavholst.info/compositions

• Merriam-Webster (2014). Neuritis.– http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neuritis

• Classic Cat (2014). Gustav von Holst. Retrieved from– http://www.classiccat.net/holst_g_von/biography.php

• The Famous People Website (2014). Gustavus Theodore Von Holst. Retrieved June 28, 2014– http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/gustavus-theodore-von-holst-379.php

 • YouTube, LLC (2014). G. Holst - The planets Op. 32 - Berliner Philharmoniker - H. von

Karajan.Uploaded by YouTube user doramas67. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83J68Y7Z1nk

• Background photos provided by:– http://wallpaperpanda.com– http://static.desktopnexus.com– http://eswalls.com