He Did Write Other Things You Know

Not surprisingly, since it is one of the most well known twnetieth century works, this was one of my early classical purchases. John Eliot Gardiner conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Women's Voices of the Monteverdi Choir in this performance of The Planets by Holst. This is a straightforward recording of Holst's score with no additions for Pluto, a good thing since that piece of rock has now been deplanetised. Most people will know some of the themes from this music, particularly Mars and Jupiter. It is a remarkable piece if orchestral writing and is one of the few works by English composers of that era that have taken on a life in the concert halls of the wide world. It is more or less the only work by Holst that I have and I would guess that is common. Further investigation would be merited of his other music, as is often the case when one work assumes such a stature, it can be frustrating for the composer who feels he has much more to say. The disk is padded out by The Warriors by Percy Grainger. This is the only music of Grainger's that I have, something else that could be further investigated. A dance number with many Russian influences and unusual use of piano in the orchestral score, it marks a direction that Grainger lacked the discipline to develop and pursue but fits well with the Holst.