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Holst: The Planets

Dame Janet Baker

Bournemouth Sinfonietta, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Central Band of the Royal Air Force, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, English Chamber Orchestra, Purcell Singers, Norman Del Mar, André Previn, Sir Adrian Boult, Wing Commander...

Release Date: 5th Jul 2010
Catalogue No: 6278982
Label: Warner Classics
Series: 20th Century Classics
Length: 2 hours 25 minutes

Holst: A Somerset Rhapsody, Op.21 No. 2

Work length9:37

$1.30

$1.70

Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Norman Del Mar
Recorded: 1980-08-30
Recording Venue: 29 & 30 August 1980: Guildhall, Southampton

Holst: Brook Green Suite

Work length6:22

$3.90

$5.10

Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Norman Del Mar
Recorded: 1980-08-30
Recording Venue: 29 & 30 August 1980: Guildhall, Southampton

I. Prelude

Track length1:24

$1.30

$1.70

II. Air

Track length2:34

$1.30

$1.70

III. Dance

Track length2:24

$1.30

$1.70

Holst: The Perfect Fool, Op. 39 / H 150: Ballet Music

Work length10:40

$5.20

$6.80

London Symphony Orchestra
André Previn
Recorded: 1974-08-04
Recording Venue: 3-4 August 1974, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Andante -

Track length0:56

$1.30

$1.70

Dance of Spirits of Earth (Moderato - Andante) -

Track length3:39

$1.30

$1.70

Dance of Spirits of Water (Allegretto)

Track length2:46

$1.30

$1.70

Dance of Spirits of Fire (Allegro moderato)

Track length3:19

$1.30

$1.70

Excerpt, Holst: The Planets, Op. 32

Work length19:16

$3.90

$5.10

London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
Recorded: 1978-07-31
Recording Venue: 12 & 30 May, 4 June & 31 July 1978. Kingsway Hall London & No.1 Studio Abbey Road

Mars, the Bringer of War (Allegro)

Track length8:02

$1.30

$1.70

Venus, the Bringer of Peace (Adagio)

Track length7:26

$1.30

$1.70

Mercury, the Winged Messenger (Vivace)

Track length3:48

$1.30

$1.70

Holst: Jupiter (from The Planets)

Work length7:59

$1.30

$1.70

London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
Recorded: 1978-07-31
Recording Venue: 12 & 30 May, 4 June & 31 July 1978. Kingsway Hall London & No.1 Studio Abbey Road

Excerpt, Holst: The Planets, Op. 32

Work length21:11

$3.90

$5.10

Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
Recorded: 1978-07-31
Recording Venue: 12 & 30 May, 4 June & 31 July 1978. Kingsway Hall London & No.1 Studio Abbey Road

Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (Adagio)

Track length8:22

$1.30

$1.70

Uranus, the Magician (Allegro)

Track length6:27

$1.30

$1.70

Neptune, the Mystic (Andante)

Track length6:22

$1.30

$1.70

Holst: Suite No. 2 for Military Band in F major, Op. 28 No. 2, H106

Work length12:22

$5.20

$6.80

Central Band of the Royal Air Force
Eric Banks
Recorded: 1984-04-13
Recording Venue: 13 April 1984 / Watford Town Hall

I. March

Track length4:45

$1.30

$1.70

II. Song without words

Track length2:47

$1.30

$1.70

III. The Song of the Blacksmith

Track length1:11

$1.30

$1.70

IV. Fantasia on the Dargason

Track length3:39

$1.30

$1.70

Holst: St Paul's Suite, Op. 29 No. 2

Work length12:36

$5.20

$6.80

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Malcolm Sargent
Recorded: 1965-01-05
Recording Venue: 4-5 January 1965: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Jig

Track length3:18

$1.30

$1.70

Ostinate

Track length1:46

$1.30

$1.70

Intermezzo

Track length4:03

$1.30

$1.70

Finale: The Dargason

Track length3:29

$1.30

$1.70

Holst: Egdon Heath, a homage to Thomas Hardy, Op.47

Work length14:38

Album only

London Symphony Orchestra
André Previn
Recorded: 1974-08-04
Recording Venue: 3 & 4 August 1974: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Holst: Hymns from the Rig Veda - 2nd Group, Op.26 / H.98 (1988 - Remaster)

Work length13:49

$3.90

$5.10

London Symphony Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Charles Groves
Recorded: 1977-01-27
Recording Venue: 27 January 1977 / Kingsway Hall, London

I. To Varuna

Track length7:54

$1.30

$1.70

II. To Agni

Track length2:02

$1.30

$1.70

III. Funeral Chant

Track length3:53

$1.30

$1.70

Holst: A Choral Fantasia, H177

Work length17:15

Album only

Dame Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano)
Purcell Singers, English Chamber Orchestra
Imogen Holst
Recorded: 1963-09-22
Recording Venue: 23 September 1963: St Augustine's, Kilburn, London London

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About

The Planets, one of the most popular and colourful orchestral scores of the twentieth century, here rubs shoulders with works showing Holst’s interest in English folksong; the mysticism of India; and his austerely beautiful take on Thomas Hardy’s “The Return of the Native” in Egdon Heath.

Holst was born in Cheltenham in England in 1874 into a family with a long musical tradition. He began composing whilst still at school and then at Oxford. He was sent to London to study with Charles Villiers Stanford at the Royal College of Music, and it was here that he met and became a lifelong friend of Vaughan Williams. In 1905 he was appointed Director of Music at St. Paul's School in Hammersmith, London, a post he held until his death in 1934. Holst's most popular work and the piece that has kept him in the public eye since it was first performed in 1916 is The Planets, and the recording presented here is conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, the man who gave the work it's first performance. Great though The Planets is, it only shows one side of Holst's musical personality and the strength of this set is that it provides the opportunity to explore the other sides of this great master's musical personality.

Artists

Dame Janet Baker

Holst: The Planets

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