'The Planets' At 100: A Listener's Guide To Holst's Solar System
Take an interplanetary trek through the English composer's symphonic blockbuster with the help of a conductor and an astronomer.
100 years ago, a symphonic blockbuster was born in London. The Planets, by Gustav Holst, premiered on this date in 1918. The seven-movement suite, depicting planets from our solar system, has been sampled, stolen and cherished by the likes of Frank Zappa, John Williams, Hans Zimmer and any number of prog-rock and metal bands.
To mark the anniversary, we've enlisted two experts to guide us on an interplanetary trek through Holst's enduring classic.
First, someone who knows the music: Sakari Oramo, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, this summer's Proms Festival, London's biggest classical music event, with . "The work has always exhilarated me," Oramo says. "Each of the
