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.- Robert Cummings, All Music Guide; Jane Erb
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) ~ top of page ~
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) ~ top of page ~
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) ~ top of page ~
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) ~ top of page ~
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 ~ top of page ~
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) ~ top of page ~
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) ~ top of page ~
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 ~ top of page ~
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 ~
Gustav Holst, 1874–1934 (Edwin Evans, The Musical Times, obituary from 1934)
Gustav Holst - Letters to W. G. Whittaker (Glasgow University Library)
Gustav Holst's Choral Fantasia (Natalie Artemas-Polak, Suite101.com)
Gustav Holst's Operatic Evolution (Natalie Artemas-Polak)
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 Gustav Holst Website
Holst Birthplace Museum
Holst @ Wikipedia
Holst @ Answers.com
Holst @ Chester Novello
Holst @ ChoralWiki
Holst @ Classic Cat
Holst @ Classical Music Archives
Holst @ Classical Net
Holst @ cyberhymnal.org
Holst @ Dilettante Music
Holst @ Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
Holst @ DSO Kids (Dallas Symphony Orchestra)
Holst @ hem.passagen.se/alkerstj
Holst @ The Hymns and Carols of Christmas
Holst @ International Vegetarian Union
Holst @ Karadar Classical Music
Holst @ MusicWeb International
Holst @ MySpaceMusic
Holst @ The New York Times
Holst @ The REC Music Foundation [The Lied and Art Song Text Page]
Holst @ Stainer & Bell
Holst @ Suite.101
Holst @ WQXR/Concise Grove
Streaming Audio
Holst @ Aquarianage
Holst @ The Classical MIDI Connection
Holst @ Classical Music Archives
Holst @ imeem.com
Holst @ Kunst der Fuge
Holst @ last.fm
Holst @ MidiWorld
Holst @ MySpaceMusic
Holst @ The Peabody Institute/The Peabody Concert Orchestra
Holst @ Rhapsody
Recordings
Holst @ ArkivMusic
Holst @ ClassicsOnline
Holst @ YouTube
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