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Gustav HOLST
(1874-1934)
The Planets Suite, Op.32 (1914-1916) [49:15]
Mars, the bringer of war [7:26]
Venus, the bringer of peace [8:38]
Mercury, the winged messenger [3:53]
Jupiter, the bringer of jollity [8:00]
Saturn, bringer of old age [8:43]
Uranus, the magician [5:43]
Neptune, the mystic [6:54]
St. Paul’s Suite, Op.29 No.2 (1912-1913) [12:38]
Jig [3:16]
Ostinato [1:50]
Intermezzo [4:06]
Finale (the Dargason) [3:26]
Brook Green Suite (1933)
[7:14]
Prelude [2:04]
Air [2:40]
Dance [2:30]
Ambrosian Singers/John McCarthy
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon Handley
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth (Brook Green)
rec. St
Augustine’s
Church, Kilburn, London, October 1993 (Planets;
St
Paul’s); CTS Studio, London, August 1994. DDD
originally issued in 1994 as Tring International CD TRP007
ALTO ALC1013 [69:26] 
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Although I am deeply frustrated by the comparative neglect of
the rest of Holst’s incredible output, it is undeniable that,
however much the fact of its popularity depressed its composer,
the Planets is an absolute masterpiece, and one of the
seminal orchestral works of the twentieth century. This Alto
disc contains a re-mastered version of an excellent performance
of Holst’s Planets from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
and Vernon Handley, recorded in 1993. It is certainly worth
listening to. From the very first note, it is gripping – with
a fervent and fairly swift Mars, the bringer of war,
which includes some fantastic growlings from the brass. In Venus,
the bringer of peace, the strings come into their own –
radiant, and with a splendid sense of delicacy. Handley takes
Jupiter, the bringer of jollity at a steady pace, yet
leads it with a sense of inexorability to a wonderfully exultant
climax. In the opening of Saturn, bringer of old age,
the Royal Philharmonic capture an amazing sense of menace and
threat, and it is just rather a shame that someone drops something
on the floor 2 minutes in! Uranus, the magician is suitably
urgent, the brass snarling away again, and in the final movement,
Neptune, the mystic the voices of the Ambrosian Singers
are effectively ethereal.
The St Paul’s
Suite was written for the school that Holst so loved, and
at which he was music director for over half his life. This
lovely piece - which, to the mind of this old Paulina, depicts
various facets of the school - is here given a resonant performance
by Handley. The disc concludes with the Brook Green Suite,
conducted by Barry Wordsworth, who evokes a warm sound from
the Royal Philharmonic.
A disc well worth
getting hold of, with three of Holst’s best-loved works, including
a deeply exciting rendition of the Planets.
Em Marshall
see also Review
by Rob Barnett and Recordings
of Year 2007
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