Mars, the Bringer of Warfrom The Planets by Holst

Creative Listening GuideKaren S. Thomas

Music Track Time:Beginning of music

Notice how the music begins soft and buildsListen for percussion and brass instruments

Does this music make you think of the solar system?

Can you imagine a story that goes along with the music?

Music Track Time:50 seconds

The building sound of the music increases!

How do the crescendo-decrescendo parts make you feel?

What affect do those parts have on this beginning section of the music?

Music Track Time:1 minute, 12 seconds

Brass instruments play the Theme 1 rhythm

Dynamics are much louder here!

What might you imagine happening in this part of the music?

Music Track Time:1 minute, 18 seconds

How does this new theme add to the feeling of the music?

Listen for the return of the crescendo/decrescendo parts from Theme 1

Music Track Time:2 minutes, 5 seconds

The mellow sounds of the horns introduce Theme 3

Does this change the feeling of the music?

What happens when the strings play this theme with higher sounds?

Music Track Time:2 minutes, 30 seconds

Strings plays Theme 4 while brass instruments play more of Theme 3

Music Track Time:2 minutes, 59 seconds

What does this sound like to you? What is going on here?

Why do you think the music suddenly changes here?

Sudden change! There is a break in the music and then a very loud and low chord

Music Track Time:3 minutes, 4 seconds

Theme 2 returns very softly in the strings

Does it sound the same as before?

What could be happening here after the sudden change earlier?

Notice the pattern climbs higher and higher as the intense feeling of the music builds

Music Track Time:4 minutes, 2 seconds

Brass instruments play Theme 1 rhythm at a higher pitch than before, while low brass play the melody

Does this change the feeling of the music?

Music Track Time:4 minutes, 48 seconds

Theme 3 returns in the brass section

Does it sound the same as before or is it a bit different?

What do you imagine happening during this section?

Music Track Time:5 minutes, 4 seconds

Theme 2 returns

Music Track Time:5 minutes, 8 seconds

Theme 4 joins in, then Theme 2 returns again

The crescendo/decrescendo parts from Theme 1 return to build tension

Music Track Time:5 minutes, 51 seconds

What do you think is happening here?

Very loud ffff chord here!

Why does the music suddenly stop moving with driving force like before?

Music Track Time:6 minutes

What do you imagine is happening here?

Music changes to softer sounds, but still menacing

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 18 seconds

Woodwinds and strings play very fast notes, building to the big finale!

What kind of feeling do these fast notes give the music?

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 23 seconds Very loud ffff chord after the

buildup of fast notes

Does this chord sound like the end?

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 25 seconds

Is this the end?

3 very loud accented chords

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 28 seconds

Is this the end now?

3 more very loud accented chords

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 30 seconds

Wait, is this the end?

Now 4 very loud accented chords

What is happening?

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 34 seconds

Slowing down. . . .

Now 2 very loud accented chords

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 38 seconds

Slowing down even more. . . .

Now 3 very loud accented chords

Music Track Time:6 minutes, 43 seconds Final Chord!

THE END!!!

What do you imagine happened at the end?

Is there anything you would change about the music?