Beyond "The Planets" with Gustav Holst

Synopsis

On today’s date in 1874 the Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham, England. He was christened “Gustavus Theodore von Holst,” and his early works were published under that name, but he removed the Germanic “von” after World War I broke out in 1914.

At the Royal College of Music, Holst studied composition and became the close friend of fellow student Ralph Vaughan Williams. For a time, Holst earned his living by playing trombone in theater and light music ensembles, and later with a British opera. In 1905, he took a teaching post at the St. Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, a post he kept until the end of his life. He only composed on weekends or during his summer vacations. It took him two years to write his most popular work, the orchestra suite “The Planets,” whose success baffled and dismayed Holst. “If nobody likes your work,” he argued, “you have to go on just for the sake of the work, and you are in no danger of letting the public make you repeat yourself.”

True to his word, Holst disappointed many admirers who kept hoping he’d write another big orchestral showpiece like “The Planets.” He never did.

Music Played in Today's Program

Gustav Holst (1874 – 1934) Suite de Ballet, Op. 10 CSR Symphony; Adrian Leaper, cond. Naxos 8.550193

On This Day

Births

• 1698 - French violinist and composer François Francoeur, in Paris; He was one of the "24 violins du roi" and collaborated with François Rebel in the production of several works for the Paris Opéra;

• 1737 - American statesman and composer Francis Hopkinson, in Philadelphia; He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and also composed some songs;

• 1874 - English composer Gustav Holst, in Cheltenham; He was born Gustavus Theodore von Holst, and his early works were published under the name "Gustav von Holst," but removed the Germanic "von" after World War I broke out in 1914;

Deaths

• 1953 - English composer Roger Quilter, age 75, in London;

Premieres

• 1795 - revised version of Haydn: Symphony No. 103 ("The Drumroll"), conducted by the composer, in Vienna (Haydn had conducted the first version of this symphony at the King's Theater in London, on March 2, 1795;

• 1925 - Rudolph Friml's operetta, "The Vagabond King," in New York City;

• 1966 - Havergal Brian: Symphony No. 6 ("Sinfonia Tragica") in London; This work was composed in 1948;

• 1966 - Maliperio: Symphony No. 9 ("Hélas") at the "Warsaw Autumn" Festival of Contemporary Music in Poland;

• 1972 - Piston: Flute Concerto, with Dorothy Anthony Dwyer the soloist and the Boston Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas;

• 1988 - Peter Maxwell Davies: Trumpet Concerto, in Hiroshima (Japan), by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli conducting, with soloist John Wallace;

• 1994 - James MacMillan: "Britannia" for orchestra, at the Barbican in London by the London Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas conducting;

Others

• 1880 - The International Mozart Foundation is established in Salzburg;

• 1962 - Igor Stravinsky returns to the Soviet Union for the first time in 48 years; He visits Moscow, Leningrad and Oranienbaum.