Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity. Yet unlike, say, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition or Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin that were conceived for the keyboard and only later adapted for orchestra, Holst wrote the piano version of The Planets largely out of necessity and with the full intention of orchestrating it (and apparently with no thought of public performance, as it was only published posthumously). The theme itself lingers in bitterness, its constant leaps creeping downward in minor seconds to form tritones, and its rhythm nervous, sounding as though it should fit into 6/4 time but with the fourth beat forcibly extracted. Add Review. And let me also say that, out of an abundance of fairness and as a service to my dear readers, I did try to emulate its presumed target audience by listening again to the Tomita Planets while stoned but the effect seemed just as meaningless and pretentious and way too long.). Each of the seven movements depicts the astrological qualities of a planet in the solar system. Recurring 3-note ostinato. Fantasia on Greensleeves Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, Edward Elgar, Frederick Delius, George Butterworth, Peter Warlock, Ralph Vaughan Williams Again, the contrast of moods and texture within the movement really do highlight how wonderful a composer and orchestrator Holst really is. 10,000+ blues, R&B, rock, jazz and pop 78s, 45s, LPs and CDs and even some ragas, punk and rap. The opening bars of Saturn are often referred to as a ticking clock. Despite asthma, he had earned his living playing the trombone in a Scottish orchestra and then by teaching at a girls' school. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity English composer Gustav Holst's orchestral suite, The Planets, Op. It seems the inspiration for this movement is taken from Roman mythology, with the Roman God, Mercury wearing wings on his shoes so he can move around quickly and get messages to people in good time. at jwpepper.com. Smooth Classics with Myleene Klass As compiled by Greene, once the entire work was heard, many critics condemned reductions to mere excerpts and were generally ecstatic in praising the immediacy, eloquence, clarity of expression, originality and importance of the entire work (although he further attributes the devotion of English critics to a reflection of national pride, whereas others' views were more tempered, with some dwelling on its derivative nature and one dismissing it as "an anthology of musical platitudes. 3:52 . Foreman continues: as quiet descends, "the distant vocalizing choir floats into our hearing again, as if it has been there throughout, and Matthews is back with Holst confronting the infinite." THE RUST" for whose rendition of "Ievan Polka" is better, though A.A's is arranged for . While each individual movement has unique and fascinating import, the overall structure is significant as well. This site uses cookies to offer you the best possible experience. Perhaps not, but it does however encapsulate the tormenting and thunderous feelings of war and the devastating consequences. Yet she even suggests that "it may be a fault that it is too clear-cut, a sharp outline when perhaps a vague impression would have sufficed," which Hutchings attributes to Holst's peculiar psychosis of austerity. This tri-tonal invocation is incredibly calm and it emphasises the oscillating wind and harp chords, which run throughout most of the piece. 32 between 1914-1916. On the 18th I had one of the worst emotional meltdowns of my entire life. But is the greater artist the one who briefly astonishes with unlimited resources, or another who extracts amazing things of lasting value from within the limits of the means he has on hand? Egdon Heath Op.47 : I Adagio - Poco Allegro - Andante maestoso. The Planets - Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity By: Gustav Holst. Jupiter - The Bringer of Jollity The fourth movement of the suite, Jupiter is perhaps the most famous of them all, especially the main theme that is heard in the middle of the movement. The exuberance of this movement shows itself not only in its tempo and rhythm but also in the multiplicity of subjects. Yet Karajan's approach sets a standard for the continuing modern trend of turning away from the sort of interpretive license that had been expected in the past but which has come to be considered crude by current orchestral (as opposed to solo) performance standards. The lolloping tune is quite robust and all of these compositional processes play a part in creating this scherzo-like movement. But then a sudden explosion ushers in intense activity that, according to Matthew, uses solar winds as a starting point. Thus his Mars exudes a snarling menace and gallops ahead as though chased by fear, his Mercury sweeps aside any sense of polished grace as it boils over with irrepressible energy, the instruments in Jupiter fairly explode in joy as they jostle for attention, and Uranus becomes a heart-pounding march that heightens the repose of its final minute. With Mars bringing masculinity and forcefulness to the forefront, Holst was able to paint a really vivid picture of war and the consequences of war. Beyond the resemblance of Mars to the first movement of Schoenberg's Suite, Mullenger asserts the influence of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (although the savage climax of that work thrives on thoroughly erratic downbeats rather than the rigid, relentless rhythm here). But perhaps the most remarkable movement is Venus, in which Sargent adds another full minute to others' already sprawling pace to craft a feeling beyond mere wistful dreams to a lush romanticism that one would not have suspected to find within the composer's emotional arsenal. 32, in full The Planets: Suite for Large Orchestra, original name Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra, orchestral suite consisting of seven short tone poems by English composer Gustav Holst. Even allowing her some degree of exaggeration, the technology surely did present daunting challenges the size of the orchestra had to be drastically reduced, instruments were hard to distinguish when shorn of their highest overtones, string basses couldn't register at all, and dynamics had to be compressed to dwell between a floor of surface noise and a ceiling of distortion. Billed annually at $39.99 Gustav Mahler Symphony No.2: Movement III, Gustav Mahler Symphony No.2: Movement II, Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.2 Genesis & Movement I, Ralph Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite: Memorable Melodies, Alexander von Zemlinksy Symphony No. Geoffrey Crankshaw paints Holst as both a visionary and a man of vast culture, such that the unique totality and universality of The Planets reflects all facets of his protean makeup. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity. While I'm not a fan of his desiccation of the Romantics, I do value the effectiveness of his approach to the impressionists and Viennese moderns, which also works here, where the clarity of execution, crisp accents and meticulous control of dynamics create a striking sense of atmosphere in the slow movements, matched by Decca's gloriously crisp and detailed ffrr recording that highlights some unusual sonorities, including the bass oboe in the opening and husky bells in the climax of Saturn. He was a composer, known for Knowing (2009), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) and The Vast of Night (2019). ABRSM Grade 8. V Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age. Holst's love of English folk song and dance is readily demonstrated here. Imogen reports that Holst hated incomplete performances (even though at first he had led several himself) and the result here gives a rather warped impression of Holst's concept; moreover, if the Coates set is played in the prescribed order, it closes with the end of Uranus that functions to set the mood for the true conclusion of Neptune and sounds tentative in isolation (although since the movements were on separate records their order could be rearranged, perhaps to end with the triumphant finale of Jupiter.). In theory the pipe organ can overcome much of this problem with its panoply of distinctive voices, awesome power and ability to preserve a sustained mood (especially in the atmospheric Neptune), but a version by Peter Sykes (on a 1996 Raven CD) all too often comes across as a homogeneous sonic blur compared to the original. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity by Patrick Gleeson, Joybringer by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Call Any Vegetable [Edited- Hybrid Concert] by Frank Zappa & Cruisin' For Burgers [ZINY 40th. Indeed, excerpting the full work became prevalent. Theme five is an amalgamation of the pesante theme with the fanfare theme, which gradually gets a little faster before we arrive at theme six. Venus on the other hand, expresses femininity, peace and gentleness and it creates a quite and peaceful place for the listener. We feel that a vast journey has transpired and even more significantly that a wider exploration awaits us" (Crankshaw). A fanfare from the trumpets, trombones and timpani announce the arrival of this movement in style as this simple melodic cell is used often throughout the movement. Listen Now . Jupiter - The Bringer of Jollity is introduced by a genial syncopated dance, appropriately so since a happy and festive mood is maintained throughout this movement. Whatever path you may take it does not take away from the fact that the music has gone into complete turmoil for a section of this piece. 4. Matthews agrees that "Holst's ability to write succinctly and without overstaging the natural development of his material, and to sustain this invention over 50 minutes, is what makes The Planets such a remarkable achievement.". Release date from LSO Discography . This heavier section is like its trying to communicate with everyone possible, not just the top or bottom of social scales, but everybody in-between too. The second movement, Venus, provides us with an incredible contrast to the previous movement. (While identified only as "Symphony Orchestra" on the original labels, the ensemble probably was the London Symphony, with which Coates was closely associated and with whose players he made most of his HMV recordings, even though it was contracted to Columbia.) The Planets, Op. 5. You can count four, five or six of them, depending on whether you divide the first two into their component parts - they do behave like independent themes. But he didn't seem fazed she also reported that he said: "It's a great thing to be a failure. Boult had been a relative novice at conducting when he led the first private performance at the composer's request in 1918, but Holst clearly was pleased, later presenting Boult with the score inscribed: "This copy is the property of Adrian Boult who first caused the Planets to shine in public and thereby earned the gratitude of Gustav Holst." Visita nuestra pgina web en espaol. 7 images Born September 21, 1874 Died May 25, 1934 (59) Add or change photo on IMDbPro Add to list Known for Knowing 6.2 Was Holst implying that the predominant psychosis of mankind, from which all human activity flowed, was steeped in and governed by aggression, hostility and conflict (hardly a surprising outlook on the brink of a war that threatened to be of unprecedented scope and destruction)? Burnett James paints Holst as a lonely and tragic figure, assailed with agonizing spiritual blight and a bleak despair that enveloped his whole being (and which ultimately led him to increasingly dissociate his later music from emotion). 32, was written between 1914 and 1916. The music is composed by Gustav Holst, and the score reduction and analysis is by Nathaniel Kuhns.. Matthew, Colin: "Holst" article in Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell, eds., Matthews, Colin: notes to the Elder/Hall CD (Hyperion CDA 67270, 2001), Mullenger, Len: "HOLST Suite: The Planets" article on the, Reid, James: An Astronomers Guide to Holsts, Sargent, Malcolm: notes to his BBC LP (Capitol SG 7196, 1958), Schoenberg, Arnold [quoted in a Los Angeles Philharmonic, Trippett, David: "A Biography of Gustav Holst, Part 3: 1915-1928" article on the, Tuttle, Raymond: review of Judd/Royal Philharmonic Denon CD in, Ward, Benjamin [? So after. Throughout his career Boult remained a stalwart advocate of the work and set a record of sorts by cutting it five times in the studio (in addition to numerous preserved concerts). Rather, it projects a sense of jagged complication, driven forward by a beat of eighth notes yet stumbled by another beat of triplets, a rhythm that is challenging to follow and that defeats with faltering indecision any notion of regularity or feeling of stability. Jupiter, The Bringer of Jolity from The Planets Gustav Holst Arranged by Sandra Dackow Grade: 4 This full-length arrangement of Jupiter is also on a massive scale, uncut and making every attempt to include all of the elements, if not instrumental colors, of the original. Upon seeing the score there are some areas where there are two chords appearing simultaneously, yet they have no diatonic relationship whatsoever. Guardian Headline src url https assets.guim.co.uk static frontend fonts guardian headline noalts not hinted GHGuardianHeadline Light.woff2 http3 true format woff2 url https assets.guim.co.uk static frontend fonts guardian headline latin1 not hinted GHGuardianHeadline Light.woff http3 true format woff. Saturn is variously described as Holst at his most poignant, unfolding the decay and senility of old age against a constant reminder of unremitting time and awaiting destiny (Sargent), depicting the futility of rebellion against the inexorable onset of age and its varied portents (Freed) and an altogether extraordinary piece of musical realism (James). The end of the work comes to a much more delicate close, with the upper strings playing in stunningly high octaves. Several commentators trace specific movements of The Planets to emulations of the atmosphere and orchestration in sections of Schoenberg's Pieces. 'Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity' is the exuberant (and very English) central movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, arranged here for wind quintet. In 1981 Karajan remade The Planets with his Berlin Philharmonic (DG LP and CD) but its slower pace is magnified by the midrange emphasis of the recording's tonal balance, which disserves the gleaming clarity of Holst's multi-faceted orchestration. Jupiter Gustav Holst's Planets don't exactly line up like the real ones he skips Earth and Pluto, which wouldn't be discovered until a dozen years after The Planets premiered. (in Bb) Hn. Indeed, Holst's working title for The Planets on its first publication (along with his name as "von Holst," soon to be changed in deference to anti-German sentiment) was Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra. He was also known as the bringer of jollity, which meant he was responsible for good times and good luck. To keep our ears interested, Holst dashes quickly between tonalities, and never quite settles down into one key. The turmoil of the previous movement is seamlessly soothed away by the dulcet sounds of this movement, which is just so peaceful. Sell a . Neptune is in the far reaches of the solar system and the end of this movement is a gradual fade out, with the last thing the audience should hear is the very far away ladies choir (who have started to walk away to create the fade out effect). John Marsh Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity As the round-faced cheery uncle of all the planets, and king of the gods, Jupiter is impressive and majestic. I do believe that this movement provides a representation for the prime of life, making it at the centre of musical expression and impressive melodies which create a feel-good wave of sound for the listener. That, in turn, suggests that the very notion of authenticity cannot be reduced to a single set of parameters and that great music can only be enriched by a range of personal interpretation. Brass Monkey - Beastie Boys. In any event, Greene concludes that The Planets functions on a metaphoric level, presenting a succession of "mood pictures" rather than programmatic depiction. While lacking the patience or interest to attempt to hear them all (for that, please refer to the Peter's Planets site), two struck me of particular promise: Of the rest of the crop of Planets recordings, at least among those I've heard, I've especially enjoyed Steinberg/Boston (DG, 1970), Bernstein/New York (Columbia, 1970), Previn/London (EMI, 1973), Susskind/St. 5. Edit Release New Submission. (Please understand: I'm not a musical snob beyond my recordings of serious music, I have (and enjoy!) The concept of the work is based not on the Roman deities that they may relate to, but the influence of the planets on the psyche, which consequently makes this work astrological, not astronomical (hence why Earth is not included). Vernon Leidig Full Orchestra Conductor Score Grade: 3 Item: 00-12202S. Indeed, robbed of its usual quirky edge, his Mars is suffused with a world-weary air and casts a pall over the rest of the work that is never fully dispelled; its final chords seem weighed down with regret, aptly leading into a Venus that seems less an aura of peace than a futile plea. His Planets belies his reputation for levelheaded performances of precision and polish that is, being more dependable than exhilarating and in the process further dispels notions of Holst's own artistic temperament as methodical and cautious. This creates a percussive sound, which is very exciting and keeps with the theme of this movement representing war. This makes the piece incredibly enchanting, enthralling and completely other-worldly. Holst also utilises one of his trademark compositional techniques cross rhythms and complex rhythmic cells. Imogen emphasized that "clarity was his watchword," that "he never could understand slovenly workmanship" and "though his music dwells in mystical regions yet it is never indefinite or shadowy." Along with this rhythmic ambiguity, there is no set key to the piece, you can make a guess of where the tonality may be, but it is quite tricky. The melody slows down for just a second at 0:54, and then suddenly at 0:57, we're thrust into the second theme of the piece (Holst likes to keep us on our toes). As several commentators have pointed out, while some of the mythological references seem appropriate (Mars, Holst's "Bringer of War," indeed was the Roman god of war), others seem obscure (Neptune, Holst's "Mystic," was merely the sea god). Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity As the round-faced cheery uncle of all the planets, and king of the gods, Jupiter is impressive and majestic. Before considering orchestral recordings of The Planets, we should briefly note the original two-piano version. The fidelity (possibly goosed in digital transfers) is markedly improved over the predecessors', displays a greater realm of textures, especially in the delicate instrumental interplay of Venus, and allows finer appreciation of the magnitude of Holst's flair for colorful orchestration. He was previously married to Isobel Harrison. Uranus, the Magician Reflecting the astrological realm of eccentricity and the occult, Holst's Uranus has been compared to Dukas's 1897 Sorcerer's Apprentice in terms of their structure, orchestration, rhythm and overall aura of comic bumbling within a serious setting, even though Boult insists that Holst had never heard it. Credits. After all the other instruments fade away only the choruses are left repeating a mild cadence that never really resolves. In 1944, drawing players from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he had created an orchestra for the Hollywood Bowl and recorded a few short pieces with them at the time, but after that he returned only once to conclude their 1955 season. Perhaps the best example of this is actually at the beginning of the piece, where we hear the repeating ostinato rhythm from the strings which drives and dominates this whole movement. Mercury, the Winged Messenger Leo describes Mercury as colorless and adaptable, absorbing the essence of those it contacts. Equally anomalous, in lieu of the general tempo slowdown common with conductors over the course of long careers, Boult's five studio Planets follow no pattern; thus, for example, his Saturn swings from 8:15 in 1945, to 8:53 in 1954, to 8:24 in 1960, to 9:09 in 1967, to 8:23 in 1978. While Karajan closely follows the score, his tempos are significantly slower than Holst's and portions can seem mechanical, notably a humorless Jupiter in which the gear-shift for a ponderous central hymn seems an incongruous intrusion.