In Girona, Catalonia, he often disappeared, only to be found hours later by his friends having abstract debates with local musicians. It was in Spain that Clifford Bax introduced Holst to astrology, a hobby that was to inspire the later Planets suite.
He read astrological fortunes until his death, and called his interest in the stars his "pet vice". Although he had earlier lampooned the stranger aspects of modern music, the new music of Igor Stravinsky and A. Schoenberg influenced his work on The Planets. Holst's compositions for wind band, though relatively small in number, guaranteed him a position as the medium's cornerstone, as seen in innumerable present-day programmes featuring his two Suites for Military Band.
His one work for brass band, A Moorside Suite , remains an important part of the brass band repertoire. Gustav Holst and wife Isobel bought a cottage in Thaxted, Essex and, surrounded by medieval buildings and ample rambling opportunities, he started work on the suite that would become his best known work, the orchestral suite The Planets.
Although, as his daughter Imogen noted, he couldn't quite achieve the gradual fade-out of women's voices and orchestra he had written owing to the limitations of early electrical recording , it was a landmark recording of the work. The performance was later issued on LP and CD format. At the onset of World War I, Gustav Holst tried to enlist but was rejected because of his bad eyes, bad lungs and bad digestion. In wartime England, Holst was persuaded to drop the "von" from his name, as it aroused suspicion.
His new music, however, was readily received as "patriotic" and English music was demanded at concert halls, partly due to a ban on all "Teutonic" music. While he was teaching music to troops eager to escape the drudgery of army life, The Planets Suite was being performed to audiences back home. During the years , Gustav Holst's popularity grew through the success of The Planets and The Hymn of Jesus based on the Apocryphal gospels , and the publication of a new opera, The Perfect Fool a satire of a work by Wagner.
The war years proved to be very fertile for the English composer as he also wrote another music composition, The Hymn of Jesus. His parents, Adolph von Holst and Clara Cox, too were related to the world of music. Unfortunately Clara died after the birth of their second child in February Gustav was only eight at that time. Gustav was much neglected in his childhood. He was debile, had a weak sight and chest and suffered from neuritis.
His hands used to quiver while playing piano or any other instrument. It was during his time as a teacher that he composed his most famous work, The Planets.
Because he was so busy teaching his students, it took him over two years to complete the piece! Although he is known to this day for The Planets , Holst never felt that it was the best example of his compositions.
Gustave Holst was a revered English composer who believed that music has a deep significance for music lovers who are looking for a cause to make music a way of life. Holst was born on September 21st, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in England. After an eventful and famous life, he passed away on May 25 th , in London, England.
He enjoyed widespread fame, particularly for his The Planets Op. His compositional media includes opera, ballet, chamber music, band, orchestral, choral, among others. Gustav Holst was a major influencer of 20th-century music, especially the rock genre.
A post-romantic and modern composer, Holst was intensely passionate about English folk music and played an important role in the advent of English orchestral music beyond the United Kingdom. Not only a brilliant composer, Holst was also a great teacher who could impart his musical knowledge to those enthusiastic enough.
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