Gustav Holst

Gustavus Theodore von Holst (September 21, 1874 – May 25, 1934) was an English composer with Latvian, Swedish, and Spanish roots. He dropped the 'von' from his name during World War I for fear of being identified as German, in the same way as the royal house was renamed the House of Windsor in 1917.

Life

Born in Cheltenham, where he was educated at Pate's Grammar School, he went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London. His best-known work is probably his orchestral suite The Planets, completed in 1916, although the composer himself did not count it as one of his best creations and later often complained that other works were completely eclipsed by it. The Planets (1914–1916) was partly inspired by meditations on his own horoscope/natal chart and dealt with the "seven influences of destiny and constituents of our spirit." Holst was especially influenced by a 19th-century astrologer called Raphael, whose book concerning the planets' role in world affairs led Holst to develop the grand vision of the planets that made The Planets suite such an enduring success.

Related Topics:
Cheltenham - Pate's Grammar School - Royal College of Music - London - Orchestral suite - The Planets - 1916 - 1914 - Horoscope - Natal chart - Destiny - Spirit - 19th-century - Astrologer - Raphael - Planets

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Holst wrote The Planets while a music teacher at St Paul's Girls' School in Hammersmith in London. He composed another successful work for the school orchestra St Paul's Suite in 1913. In 1930, he composed Hammersmith: a musical expression of the town which begins with a haunting portrayal of the River Thames flowing its way. The music wing of the school is named in his honour.

Related Topics:
St Paul's Girls' School - Hammersmith - London - 1913 - 1930 - River Thames

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Holst's output for the wind band, though relatively small, guaranteed him a position as the medium's cornerstone, as seen in innumerable present-day programmes featuring his two Suites for Military Band. His one work for brass band, A Moorside Suite, remains an important part of the brass band repertoire.

Related Topics:
Wind band - Brass band

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Like many composers, Holst also played a musical instrument, in his case the trombone (a choice dictated by a medical condition that robbed him of the manual dexterity required for more obvious instruments such as the piano).

Related Topics:
Musical instrument - Trombone - Piano

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According to his biographer Ian Lace, "Gustav Holst was frugal. He never smoked nor drank. Since leaving home he had also become a strict vegetarian. But vegetarianism was not encouraged in his cheap lodgings in the 1890's. Since he was never given a completely nourishing meal, his eyes became very weak and his hand remained in constant pain."

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From 1933 Holst suffered from severe stomach problems. On May 25, 1934 he died of complications, following surgery in London. He is buried in Chichester Cathedral, West Sussex.

Related Topics:
1933 - Stomach - May 25 - 1934 - Surgery - London

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His daughter Imogen Holst was also a composer and conductor.

Related Topics:
Imogen Holst - Conductor

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