the Planets ( The Planets ) is a work for full orchestra of Gustav Holst. It is partly with this part that Gustav Holst owes its celebrity. Holst thus studied 7 external planets (posterior with the Earth compared to the sun) and their gave to each one a clean color.

History and composition

The part made up between 1914 and 1917 and was created with London the September 29th 1918, under the direction of Adrian Boult. After the failure of The Cloud Messenger in 1913, Holst had been invited in holiday in his/her friend Balfour Gardiner. The type-setter Arnold Bax and his Clifford brother joined them and they had many discussions on the composition and the orchestration. That caused to justify Holst more. Clifford Bax was also interested in astrology, which encouraged Holst to study the subject.

The first movement, Mars , were made up very right before the beginning of the world war, in 1914. It thus acts more than one prophecy that of one reaction to the tragedy. The last composed movement, Mercure was completed in 1916. Because of its neuritis to the right-hand man, it had to dictate most of the partition to his colleagues.

Holst arranged the partitions after having finished them since he believed that nobody could assemble a work asking such a for full orchestra in time of war. In September 1918, Balfour Gardiner rented Queen' S Hall for a semi-private representation. The chief, Adrian Boult, had had only two hours to repeat the very complex part. Imogen, the girl of the type-setter, declared later “They two or three hundred friends or musicians who had come to listen found the clamors of Mars almost unbearable after four years of a war which continued. But it is the end of Neptune which was unforgettable, with its chorus of feminine voices disappearing with far, until imagination could not do the difference between the sound and silence. ”

The first public representation took place a few weeks later and was very well accommodated, contrary to the Cloud Messenger . Only five of the seven movements were played.

Analyzes

Mars, that which brings the war

The first movement begins with a rate/rhythm ostinato drinking cups and violins striking the cords with the wood of the bow. The first melody ( ground - D - do# ) is introduced by the bassoons and the horns. After one crescendo and a accelerando of all the orchestra, the second topic (see Ci-high) is introduced with the trombones then with the horns. The intensity of the part increases progressively. After a return in strength of the first reason, the part is completed on a serious agreement quadruple strong. This first movement is very chaotic and inhuman, such celestial warlike walk.

The group of progressive Rock King Crimson will take again this part on scene at the beginning of its career, in 1969.

Venus, that which brings peace

The second movement is an enormous contrast with the rage of the first. The downward notes of the horn announce as of the beginning a part of light and peace. After some melodies played by various instruments of the orchestra, a solo violin plays a very soft air (see Ci-high). All the violins repeat the melody then, like an echo. After variations on the melody, the downward notes of the horn are made hear again. The melody of the violin returns a little before the end which takes a little width for the first time of the movement.

Mercury, the winged messenger

The third movement plays a little the very dynamic part of scherzo . After a short introduction on fast eighth notes, the first melody (see Ci-high) is introduced by an oboe and a cor anglais. Various episodes follow mixing this melody and a second reason introduces immediately after the first. The movement finishes on a short agreement.

Jupiter, that which brings cheerfulness

Just like Mercury , Jupiter starts quickly, with fast cords from where a first syncopated melody emerges. A little further, the trumpet and wood make hear a brass band (see Ci-high) which is then taken again by the other instruments of the orchestra. A ritenuto brings a second topic before the first syncopated topic returns. A topic into 3/4 follows. After an increase in the tension, the calm cost with the most famous air of Holst, commonly called the Jupiter Anthem. The first three melodies are made hear again.

Saturn, that which brings old age

Saturn was the preferred movement of Holst. This movement begins very gloomily, the flutes and toothing-stone marking the rate/rhythm of the walk of time. The double bass first of all announces the old age, taken again by the violins then the oboe in an increasing intensity until youth disappears in a glare from panic. The movement finishes quietly, as an acceptance of what is inescapable.

Uranus, the magician

The movement starts on a kind of incantation of four notes which announces the magician. The movement which follows is a dance which is intensifying until the toothing-stone points out gently the topic of the beginning and finishes on a true explosion of all the orchestra which resounds in echo in the vastness. This movement is not without recalling celebrates it Sorcerer's apprentice of Paul Dukas (1897).

Neptune, the mystic

The seventh and last movement are the most impressionist part of Holst. The instruments seeming to wander in the vacuum without no defined topic as in the other movements does not take form. A chorus of women out-scene is made hear, without words. This sound seems remote, celestial. The clarinet emits a reason taken again by the violins until an agreement stops abruptly the music. The toothings-stone and the celesta announce the end of work, leaving the place to a long decrescendo of the voices of women has cappella seeming to lose itself in the infinite one.

Media

References

• In the middle of traditional the , vol. 63 p. 1552-1559.

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