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Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Known primarily for his popular orchestral composition, The Planets, Gustav Holst embraced a wide variety of musical models, from Arthur Sullivan, Edvard Grieg and Richard Wagner to the melodic simplicity of English folk music. In his maturity, he managed to merge these various influences into a rather sparse personal style that became increasingly transparent in his later years.  Holst was the creator of operas, chamber, vocal, and orchestral music of many different styles, based on subjects as varied as folk songs, Tudor music, Sanskrit literature, astrology, and contemporary poetry. His great interest in Eastern mysticism can be heard in his settings of Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda and his short opera Savitri. Perhaps his greatest talent lay in the realm of choral music; his Hymn of Jesus stands as one of the finest works in the genre from the early twentieth century.

COMPOSITIONS                                                            Holst Links     ~ ~ ~     Works by Genre
The Revoke, opera, op. 1 (1895)
The Idea, opera (1896)
Three Pieces, oboe and string quartet, op. 2 (1896; rev. 1910)
Quintet, piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, op. 3 (1896)
A Winter Idyll, orchestra, op. 4 (1897)
Clear and Cool, 5-part chorus and orchestra, op. 5 (1897)
Four Songs, voice and piano, op. 4 (1896-98)
Örnulf's Drapa, baritone and orchestra, op. 6 (1898)
Walt Whitman, orchestra, op. 7 (1899)
Suite de Ballet, Eb, orchestra, op. 10 (1899)
Symphony in F, The Cotswolds, orchestra, op. 8 (1899-1900)
Five Part-Songs, chorus, op. 9A (1897-1900)
Ave Maria, female chorus, op. 9B (1900)
Deux Pieces, piano (1901)
The Youth's Choice, opera, op. 11 (1902)
Five Part-Songs, chorus, op. 12 (1902-3)
Six Songs, voice and piano, op. 15 (1902-03)
Indra, orchestra, op. 13 (1903)
Quintet, woodwind quintet, op. 14 (1903)
King Estmere, chorus and orchestra, op. 17 (1903)
Six Songs, voice and piano, op. 16 (1903-04)
The Mystic Trumpeter, soprano and orchestra, op. 18 (1904)
A Song of the Night, violin and orchestra, op. 19 No.1 (1905)
Songs from 'The Princess', female chorus, op. 20A (1905)
Home they brought her warrior dead, female chorus (1905)
Seven Scottish Airs, piano and strings (1906)
Songs of the West, orchestra, op. 21 No.1 (1906)
Two Songs without Words, op. 22 (1906)
Sita, opera, op. 23 (1899-1906)
Four Old English Carols, chorus and piano, op. 20B (1907)
A Somerset Rhapsody, orchestra, op. 21 No.2 (1907)
Hymns from the Rig Veda, voice and piano, op. 24 (1907-08)
In youth is pleasure, chorus (1908)
Savitri, opera, op. 25 (1908)
Suite No.1, E-Flat, band, op. 28 No.1 (1909)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda: Second Group, female chorus and orchestra, op. 26 No.2 (1909)
The Vision of Dame Christian, incidental music, op. 27A (1909)
Stepney Pageant, incidental music, op. 27B (1909)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda: First Group, chorus and orchestra, op. 26 No.1 (1908-10)
The Cloud Messenger, chorus and orchestra, op. 30 (1909-10)
Beni Mora, orchestra, op. 29 No.1 (1909-10)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda. Third Group, female chorus and harp, op. 26 No.3 (1910)
The Pageant of London, incidental music (1910)
Christmas Day, chorus and orchestra (1910)
Morris Dance Tunes, orchestra (1910)
Invocation, cello and orchestra, op. 19 No.2 (1911)
Suite No.2, F, band, op. 28 No.2 (1911)
Two Eastern Pictures, female chorus and harp (1911)
Phantastes, orchestra (1911) [withdrawn?; originally op. 29 No.2]
Hecuba's Lament, contralto, female chorus and string orchestra, op. 31 No.1 (1911)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda: Fourth Group, male chorus and orchestra, op. 26 No.4 (1912)
Two Psalms (Psalms 86 and 148), chorus, organ and string orchestra (1912)
St Paul's Suite, op. 29 No.2 (1913)
Hymn to Dionysus, female chorus and orchestra, op. 31 No.2 (1913)
The Swallow leaves her nest, female chorus (1913)
A Dirge for Two Veterans, male chorus, brass and percussion (1914)
Nunc dimittis, chorus (1915)
Dirge and Hymeneal, female chorus and piano (1915)
Japanese Suite, orchestra, op. 33 (1915)
The Planets, orchestra, op. 32 (1914-16)
This have I done for my true love, chorus, op. 34 No.1 (1916)
Lullay my liking, soprano and chorus, op. 34 No.2 (1916)
Of one that is so fair, SATB soloists and chorus, op. 34 No.3 (1916)
Bring us in good ale, male chorus, op. 34 No.4 (1916)
Phantasy Quartet on British Folksongs, string quartet, op. 36 (1916) [withdrawn?]
Three Festival Choruses, chorus and orchestra, op. 36A (1916)
Six Choral Folk Songs, chorus, op. 36B (1916)
Diverus and Lazarus, chorus (1916)
Terly Terlow, chorus, oboe and cello (1916)
Three Carols, unison chorus and orchestra or organ (1916-17)
Four Songs, voice and violin, op. 35 (1916-17)
The Hymn of Jesus, 2 choruses, female semi-chorus & orchestra, op. 37 (1917)
I vow to thee, my country, unison chorus and piano (1918)
Ode to Death, chorus and orchestra, op. 38 (1919)
Short Festival Te Deum, chorus and orchestra (1919)
The Sneezing Charm, incidental music (1920)
Seven Choruses from the Alcestis of Euripides, incidental music (1920)
The Lure, ballet (1921)
The Perfect Fool, opera, op. 39 (1918-22)
A Fugal Overture, orchestra, op. 40 No.1 (1922)
A Fugal Concerto, flute, oboe and orchestra, op. 40 No.2 (1923)
First Choral Symphony, chorus and orchestra, op. 41 (1923-24)
At the Boar's Head, opera, op. 42 (1924)
Toccata, piano (1924)
The Evening Watch, chorus, op. 43 No.1 (1924-25)
Sing me the men, chorus, op. 43 No.2 (1924-25)
Terzetto (1925)
Seven Part-Songs, soprano, female chorus and strings, op. 44 (1925-26)
The Golden Goose, ballet, op. 45 No.1 (1926)
Chrissemas Day in the morning, piano, op. 46 No.1 (1926)
The Morning of the Year, ballet, op. 45 No.2 (1926-27)
Two Folk Song Fragments, piano, op. 46 No.2 (1927)
Egdon Heath, orchestra, op. 47 (1927)
Man born to toil, chorus and organ (1927)
Eternal Father, soprano, chorus, organ and bells ad lib. (1927)
The Coming of Christ, incidental music (1927)
A Moorside Suite, band (1928)
Twelve Songs, voice and piano, op. 48 (1929)
Double Concerto, 2 violins and orchestra, op. 49 (1929)
The Wandering Scholar, opera, op. 50 (1929-30)
A Choral Fantasia, soprano, chorus, organ, strings, brass & percussion, op. 51 (1930)
Hammersmith, band, op. 52 (1930)
Twelve Welsh Folk Songs, chorus (1930-31)
Wassail Song, chorus (1931)
The Bells, film score (1931)
Two Pieces, piano (1930-32)
Six Choruses, male chorus and string orchestra or organ/piano, op. 53 (1931-32)
Jazz-band Piece (Capriccio), orchestra (1932)
Lyric Movement, viola and orchestra (1933)
O Spiritual Pilgrim, soprano and chorus (1933)
Come live with me, chorus (1933)
Brook Green Suite (1933)
Scherzo, orchestra (1933-34)


WORKS BY GENRE                                                            Holst Links     ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
The Revoke, opera, op. 1 (1895)
The Idea, opera (1896)
The Youth's Choice, opera, op. 11 (1902)
Sita, opera, op. 23 (1899-1906)
Savitri, opera, op. 25 (1908)
The Lure, ballet (1921)
The Perfect Fool, opera, op. 39 (1918-22)
At the Boar's Head, opera, op. 42 (1924)
The Golden Goose, choral ballet, op. 45 No.1 (1926)
The Morning of the Year, choral ballet, op. 45 No.2 (1926-27)
The Wandering Scholar, opera, op. 50 (1929-30)

Orchestra
A Winter Idyll, orchestra, op. 4 (1897)
Walt Whitman, orchestra, op. 7 (1899)
Suite de Ballet, Eb, orchestra, op. 10 (1899)
Symphony in F, The Cotswolds, orchestra, op. 8 (1899-1900)
Indra, orchestra, op. 13 (1903)
Songs of the West, orchestra, op. 21 No.1 (1906)
Two Songs without Words, orchestra, op. 22 (1906)
A Somerset Rhapsody, orchestra, op. 21 No.2 (1907)
Beni Mora, orchestra, op. 29 No.1 (1909-10)
Morris Dance Tunes, orchestra (1910)
Phantastes, orchestra (1911) [withdrawn?; originally op. 29 No.2]
St Paul's Suite, string orchestra, op. 29 No.2 (1913)
Japanese Suite, orchestra, op. 33 (1915)
The Planets, orchestra, op. 32 (1914-16)
A Fugal Overture, orchestra, op. 40 No.1 (1922)
Egdon Heath, orchestra, op. 47 (1927)
Jazz-band Piece (Capriccio), orchestra (1932)
Brook Green Suite, string orchestra (1933)
Scherzo, orchestra (1933-34)

Band
Suite No.1, E-Flat, band, op. 28 No.1 (1909)
Suite No.2, F, band, op. 28 No.2 (1911)
A Moorside Suite, band (1928)
Hammersmith, band, op. 52 (1930)

Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
A Song of the Night, violin and orchestra, op. 19 No.1 (1905)
Invocation, cello and orchestra, op. 19 No.2 (1911)
A Fugal Concerto, flute, oboe and orchestra, op. 40 No.2 (1923)
Double Concerto, 2 violins and orchestra, op. 49 (1929)
Lyric Movement, viola and orchestra (1933)

Chorus w/Orchestra
Clear and Cool, 5-part chorus and orchestra, op. 5 (1897)
King Estmere, chorus and orchestra, op. 17 (1903)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda: Second Group, female chorus and orchestra, op. 26 No.2 (1909)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda: First Group, chorus and orchestra, op. 26 No.1 (1908-10)
The Cloud Messenger, chorus and orchestra, op. 30 (1909-10)
Hecuba's Lament, contralto, female chorus and string orchestra, op. 31 No.1 (1911)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda: Fourth Group, male chorus and orchestra, op. 26 No.4 (1912)
Two Psalms (Psalms 86 and 148), chorus, organ and string orchestra (1912)
Hymn to Dionysus, female chorus and orchestra, op. 31 No.2 (1913)
Three Festival Choruses, chorus and orchestra, op. 36A (1916)
Three Carols, unison chorus and orchestra or organ (1916-17)
Ode to Death, chorus and orchestra, op. 38 (1919)
Short Festival Te Deum, chorus and orchestra (1919)
First Choral Symphony, chorus and orchestra, op. 41 (1923-24)
Seven Part-Songs, soprano, female chorus and strings, op. 44 (1925-26)
A Choral Fantasia, soprano, chorus, organ, strings, brass & percussion, op. 51 (1930)

Choral
Five Part-Songs, chorus, op. 9A (1897-1900)
Ave Maria, female chorus, op. 9B (1900)
Five Part-Songs, chorus, op. 12 (1902-3)
Songs from 'The Princess', female chorus, op. 20A (1905)
Four Old English Carols, chorus and piano, op. 20B (1907)
Home they brought her warrior dead, female chorus (1905)
In youth is pleasure, chorus (1908)
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda. Third Group, female chorus and harp, op. 26 No.3 (1910)
Christmas Day, chorus and orchestra (1910)
Two Eastern Pictures, female chorus and harp (1911)
The Swallow leaves her nest, female chorus (1913)
A Dirge for Two Veterans, male chorus, brass and percussion (1914)
Nunc dimittis, chorus (1915)
Dirge and Hymeneal, female chorus and piano (1915)
Diverus and Lazarus, chorus (1916)
Terly Terlow, chorus, oboe and cello (1916)
This have I done for my true love, chorus, op. 34 No.1 (1916)
Lullay my liking, soprano and chorus, op. 34 No.2 (1916)
Of one that is so fair, SATB soloists and chorus, op. 34 No.3 (1916)
Bring us in good ale, male chorus, op. 34 No.4 (1916)
Six Choral Folk Songs, chorus, op. 36B (1916)
Three Carols, unison chorus and orchestra or organ (1916-17)
The Hymn of Jesus, 2 choruses, female semi-chorus & orchestra, op. 37 (1917)
I vow to thee, my country, unison chorus and piano (1918)
The Evening Watch, chorus, op. 43 No.1 (1924-25)
Sing me the men, chorus, op. 43 No.2 (1924-25)
Man born to toil, chorus and organ (1927)
Eternal Father, soprano, chorus, organ and bells ad lib. (1927)
Twelve Welsh Folk Songs, chorus (1930-31)
Wassail Song, chorus (1931)
Six Choruses, male chorus and string orchestra or organ/piano, op. 53 (1931-32)
O Spiritual Pilgrim, soprano and chorus (1933)
Come live with me, chorus (1933)

Chamber
Three Pieces, oboe and string quartet, op. 2 (1896; rev. 1910)
Quintet, piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, op. 3 (1896)
Quintet, woodwind quintet, op. 14 (1903)
Seven Scottish Airs, piano and strings (1906)
Phantasy Quartet on British Folksongs, string quartet, op. 36 (1916) [withdrawn?]
Terzetto, flute, oboe and viola (1925)

Piano
Deux Pieces, piano (1901)
Toccata, piano (1924)
Chrissemas Day in the morning, piano, op. 46 No.1 (1926)
Two Folk Song Fragments, piano, op. 46 No.2 (1927)
Two Pieces, piano (1930-32)

Vocal
Four Songs, voice and piano, op. 4 (1896-98)
Örnulf's Drapa, baritone and orchestra, op. 6 (1898)
Six Songs, voice and piano, op. 15 (1902-03)
Six Songs, voice and piano, op. 16 (1903-04)
The Mystic Trumpeter, soprano and orchestra, op. 18 (1904)
Hymns from the Rig Veda, voice and piano, op. 24 (1907-08)
Hecuba's Lament, contralto, female chorus and string orchestra, op. 31 No.1 (1911)
Four Songs, voice and violin, op. 35 (1916-17)
Seven Part-Songs, soprano, female chorus and strings, op. 44 (1925-26)
Eternal Father, soprano, chorus, organ and bells ad lib. (1927)
Twelve Songs, voice and piano, op. 48 (1929)

Incidental/Film
The Vision of Dame Christian, incidental music, op. 27A (1909)
Stepney Pageant, incidental music, op. 27B (1909)
The Pageant of London, incidental music (1910)
The Sneezing Charm, incidental music (1920)
Seven Choruses from the Alcestis of Euripides, incidental music (1920)
The Coming of Christ, incidental music (1927)
The Bells, film score (1931)


HOLST LINKS                                                            Works by Genre     ~ top of page ~
A Biography of Gustav Holst (David Trippett, MusicWeb International)
The Galaxy Before Star Wars (E. Bruflat, Nebraska Wesleyan University)
Gustav Holst - Brought Down to Earth (The Independent)
Gustav Holst - Letters to W. G. Whittaker (Glasgow University Library)
Gustav Holst and His Association with Thaxted (Thaxted Parish Council)
Gustav Holst and The Planets (Tel Asiado, Suite.101)
Gustav Holst's Military Suites and The Planets (The TubaNator)
Gustav Holst's The Planets (Sarah Canice Funke, Suite.101)
Gustav Holst's "The Planets" - A Teacher's Guide (Delaware Symphony Orchestra)
Gustav Holst: So Much More Than 'The Planets’ (Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph))
Holst: His Influence on Rock and Popular Music (CMT)
Holst - Suite: The Planets (Len Mullenger, MusicWeb International)
"I Ring for the General Dance" - Gustav Holst and Thaxted (The Foxearth and District Local History)
The Inner Orbit of Gustav Holst (Tony Palmer, The Guardian)
"The Planets" of Gustav Holst - A Resource Kit (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

The Gustav Holst Website
Holst Birthplace Museum

Holst @ Wikipedia
Holst @ Aquarianage
Holst @ Andy Pease's Wind Band Blog
Holst @ Answers.com
Holst @ Audiophile Audition (via Google Advanced Search)
Holst @ barbwired.com
Holst @ Boosey & Hawkes
Holst @ Chester Novello
Holst @ ChoralWiki
Holst @ Classic Cat
Holst @ Classical Archives
Holst @ Classical Composers Database
Holst @ Classical-Music.com
Holst @ Classical Net
Holst @ Classics for Kids
Holst @ ClassicsToday
Holst @ cyberhymnal.org
Holst @ Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
Holst @ DSO Kids (Dallas Symphony Orchestra)
Holst @ Eroica Recordings
Holst @ Facebook
Holst @ Find a Grave
Holst @ Gramophone
Holst @ The Guardian
Holst @ h2g2
Holst @ hem.passagen.se/alkerstj
Holst @ The Hymns and Carols of Christmas
Holst @ HumanitiesWeb
Holst @ Hyperion Records
Holst @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Holst @ InstantEncore
Holst @ International Vegetarian Union
Holst @ ISIS Web Publishing /A Tribute to Gustav Holst
Holst @ Karadar Classical Music
Holst @ Klassika
Holst @ Los Angeles Philharmonic
Holst @ Luck's Music Library
Holst @ John Mitchell/University of Massachusetts, Boston
Holst @ Modern Classical
Holst @ MusicBrainz
Holst @ MusicWeb International
Holst @ MySpaceMusic
Holst @ Naxos
Holst @ The New York Times
Holst @ NNDB
Holst @ NPRmusic
Holst @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Holst @ Silver Burdett - Making Music
Holst @ Stainer & Bell
Holst @ Warwick Music
Holst @ Wind Repertory Project
Holst @ The World of Classical Music

Publisher
Holst @ Boosey & Hawkes
Holst @ Chester Novello
Holst @ J. Curwen & Sons
Holst @ Edition Eulenburg
Holst @ Faber Music
Holst @ IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library
Holst @ Kalmus
Holst @ Laudy & Co.
Holst @ Luck's Music Library
Holst @ Oxford University Press
Holst @ G. Schirmer
Holst @ Stainer & Bell
Holst @ Thames
Holst @ Virgo Music Publishers
Holst @ Warwick Music

Streaming Audio
Holst @ Aquarianage
Holst @ The Classical MIDI Connection
Holst @ Classical Archives
Holst @ last.fm
Holst @ MidiWorld
Holst @ MySpaceMusic
Holst @ Rhapsody

Recordings
Holst @ Composer website
Holst @ Amazon.com
Holst @ ArkivMusic
Holst @ CD Universe
Holst @ ClassicsOnline
Holst @ Discogs
Holst @ Eroica Recordings
Holst @ Hyperion Records
Holst @ itunes
Holst @ Naxos

Video
Holst @ YouTube
Holst @ CornellCast
Holst @ Google Video
Holst@ Vimeo (via Google Advanced Search)