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Gustav Holst was a leading figure in the new age of English music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His most celebrated work, The Planets, is an orchestral tour de force, but he wrote music of startling originality in many forms, drawing inspiration from sources as varied as English folksong, oriental melody, the Apocrypha and Sanskrit literature, as well as from writers such as Keats, Hardy, Bridges and Whitman.This biography, by his daughter Imogen, was first published by Faber in 1938 and revised in 1969. In it she quotes at length from his many letters to his friends - especially to his closest colleague Vaughan Williams - and draws on her personal memories of Holst's later years.Holst struggled all his life against bouts of ill-health and depression, but his remarkable and good-humoured resilience enabled him to compose great music in often difficult circumstances. He was essentially a very private person, and the huge popular success of The Planets in 1919 disconcerted him. Imogen Holst describes the effect of this sudden fame on her father, and records the late flowering of his music in the final years of his life. ... Read more

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Spectacular symphonic suite, scored for large orchestral forces and a wordless chorus, is divided into seven movements, the music of each embodying the astrological and mystical qualities of a different planet. Remarkable emotional sweep and innovative techniques have made the work a staple of the orchestral repertoire. Only full-size score available.
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Customer Reviews (15)

Score for Holst's The Planets

The score for The Planets, which I had ordered as part of reearch for a book I am writing, arrived quickly and was in fine shape.

Beautiful Addition to Any Library
Holst "The Planets" is a great addition to any music library. This particular copy is beautiful and precise, not to mention easy to read. The paper is also easy to write on so it's perfect for study. I highly recommend this score to anybody who's serious about a future in music.

Planets Suite Score
I have recieved my score for the planets suite and this score is just what I wanted. The book is about A4 size and is very easy to hold, read and handle. The print size is fine for studying the score or just scanning while you listen. I am very happy with my score.

Outstanding Study Score for a fair price.
What more can be said about Holst's masterpiece "The Planets" which has not already been said been? To be sure, the music is a work of genius; therefore, I wish to comment more about the quality of Dover's printed score. This publication is a quality product. The engraving is primo (a reproduction of the 1921 Goodwin & Tabb Ltd. original); it is easily legible, accurate, and looks wonderful. Obviously, the original engravers were at the top of their game on this one, and Dover has done a terrific job of transferring the plates; it's as clean as one could wish for in an affordable study score. Even in soft-cover, the binding is durable and the pages lay flat. The inclusion of a commentary or brief analysis would have been a welcome addition, but that is a very small gripe against an otherwise fantastic publication. I give it my highest recommendation.

Review
I went through this score several times with multiple recordings and it is to the tee. All the movements are in the book, in concert order, the score was written out in the proper key. If you're trying to find a score for the Planets, This is the one without having to buy the actual performance score. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Amazon deception
This is not what any reasonable person would expect from the product description.It is not a score.When you buy this you will end up with the first bassoon part, only--disgusting. ... Read more

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Gustav Holst's "Planets" suite has become established as one of the classics of twentieth-century orchestral music. Short's access to Holst's letters and diaries, as well as his close work with Holst's daughter Imogen have resulted in the most detailed book on the composer's life and music yet to appear. Containing new information which has become available since Imogen Holst published a biography of her father fifty years ago, this book includes an analysis of Holst's musical style and a substantial reference section. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The definitve book on Holst (in addition to Imogen Holst's books)
This long-time-out-of-print book is clearly the definitive book on Gustav Holst, his life and the undercurrents of his music. Holst was a character of enigmatic dichotomy: he was at once friendly, greragious, jolly and rumbustious - but at the same time solitary, remote and seemingly aloof. He was concerned with the warmth of human relationships, but with mystical speculations as well. His thought and music could be simultaneously simple AND complex. He was a straightforward schoolmaster and a restless, introspective artist at the same time.

Many of his friends noticed the contrast between his vigorous and outgoing nature and his other-worldliness: as if he had acess to SOME SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE, which they had not. And of such mystery is his music, he is one of the most important composers of the first half of the 20th century and it is a shame, that of his marvellous works only "The Planets", "The Hymn of Jesus" and the "St. Pauls's Suite" are more widely known, despite the fact, that his entire oevre has been marvelously recorded on CD (check Chandos.com for more on this).

As Ralph Vaughan-Williams one put it, it is "the blend of the realist with the visionary, that gives Holst's music its distinctive character", and this clearly mirrors in Holst's life, for instance in his interest in the Socialist music movement at the turn of the centuryand simultaneously his private studies of Sanskrit and of Vedic scriptures.

Why this book has been out of print for almost twenty years (since 1990 to be exact) is a complete mystery to me! After a meticulous search for this book in more or less all used bookstores I was able to contact - either online or in real life - I was finally able to abtain a copy of this book from a Manchester bookstore.

.. and I haven't had any reason to regret my purchase. No buyer's remorse at all.

Strongly recommended for each and everyone interested in Holst's life and work.

Exceptional Holst biography!
Holst was a gentle soul of rare talent and accomplishment. Exceptionaly well researched and well written biography. This is THE standard Holst biography. Why this is out of print is a complete mystery. May be available at your local library -- if you're lucky. I was and read it. I would very much like to obtain a copy. So, whoever has rights to publishing this work, perhaps another printing or a new edition is in order? Where else is one to go for a thorough Holst biography? Highly recommended. ... Read more

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Egdon Heath Score Brand: Alfred Publishing Model Number: 12-0571508448 ... Read more

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A leading figure of English music in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Gustav Holst is best known for his orchestral tour de force, The Planets. He composed music of startling originality in many forms, drawing inspiration from sources as varied as English folk-song, oriental melody, the Apocrypha, and Sanskrit literatures, as well as from such writers as Keats, Hardy, and Whitman. In this study of her father's music, Imogen Holst discusses Holst's pieces of the early 1890s, the musical consequences of his holiday in Algeria in 1908, problems of performance in The Planets, and editing Holt's music. The volume also includes a list of important dates in Holst's life, a list of his published work, and a bibliography. ... Read more

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Based upon and containing many of Holst's own personal letters, diaries and notebook entries, this study provides an intimate portrait of this larger-than-life personality. Many of Holst's innermost thoughts regarding musical composition, performance and music education are disclosed here. In addition, there is a significant amount of information concerning Holst's work ethics at all six of his places of employment. It also provides a view of the composer from this side of the Atlantic, shedding considerable light on Holst's plans and activities regarding his three American visits that is not found in the other biographies. A significant numbr of chapters are devoted to Holst's 1932 semester-long lectureship at Harvard University. The appendices include examples of Holst's manuscripts, thumbnail sketches of persons associated with his career, and (unique to this text) a chronological listing of his compositions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outstanding research!
Beyond Michael Short, there are few in-depth biographies of Holst. This is one of those biographies containing a wealth of detail that complements the Short. Extended section on Holst's American excursions. A most welcome volume for anyone interested in Holst.

This is one of those examples of don't judge a book by its cover. The content and scholarship are first rate! Highly recommended. ... Read more

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A rabbit shares the joy of Christmas with his friends and finds that it is returned several times over. ... Read more