The Planets

The Planets Op. 32 is a seven-movement orchestral musical suite with each movement based on the astrology of a planet. The suite was made by the British composer Gustav Holst & was written between 1914 and 1916. The first complete public performance happened during World War I on 10 October 1918 in Birmingham, with Appleby Matthews directing the orchestra. However, an earlier premiere for only a small group of people was held on 29 September 1918 in the Queen's Hall in London, with the orchestra directed by Adrian Boult. The suite doesn't include Earth & Pluto. The 7 movements are titled; "Mars, the bringer of war", "Venus, the bringer of peace", "Mercury, the winged messenger", "Jupiter, the bringer of jollity", "Saturn, the bringer of old age", "Uranus, the magician" & "Neptune, the mystic".

The suite features 2 harps, 2 violins, viola, cello(also called violoncello), contrabass(also called double bass), organ, celesta, 2 timpanists, triangle, side drum, tambourine, cymbals, bass drum, gong, tubular bells, 2 xylophonists, 3 glockenspielists, 6 French horns(also called horn in F or simply horn), 4 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, tenor tuba, 4 flutes, alto flute, 2 piccolo, 3 oboes, bass oboe, English horn(also called cors anglais), 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons & contrabassoon

The Planets Media

• Gustav Holst - the planets, op. 32 - i. mars, the bringer of war

• Movement II of "The Planets" by Gustav Holst, Venus, the Bringer of Peace. Performed by the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band in a transcription by Merlin Patterson, edited by Capt. Lang and MSgt Aldo Forte for their 1998 C.D. Frontiers

• Movement III of "The Planets" by Gustav Holst, Mercury, the Winged Messenger. Performed by the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band in a transcription by Merlin Patterson, edited by Capt. Lang and MSgt Aldo Forte for their 1998 C.D. Frontiers

• Gustav Holst - the planets, op. 32 - iv. jupiter, the bringer of jollity

• The fifth movement from Gustav Holst’s 1916 composition “The Planets”, as conducted by the composer in 1923

• Movement VI of "The Planets" by Gustav Holst, Uranus, the Magician. Performed by the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band in a transcription by Merlin Patterson, edited by Capt. Lang and MSgt Aldo Forte for their 1998 C.D. Frontiers

• The seventh movement from Gustav Holst’s 1916 composition “The Planets”, as conducted by the composer in 1923

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  Handwritten inscription by Gustav Holst on Adrian Boult's copy of the score of The Planets:"This copy is the property of Adrian Boult who first caused the Planets to shine in public and thereby earned the gratitude of Gustav Holst."*Holst died in 1934.