The Planets (Complete Show)
by Gustav Holst, arr. by Nikk Pilato
The Planets by Gustav Holst is one of the first pieces of orchestral music many young students hear, due in no small part to its popularity, and its vibrant, brilliant orchestration. The two most popular movements, Mars and Jupiter are often found in movies, television, and the radio, and they form the backbone of this show. The finale is the beautiful and quirky Uranus, not heard as often as the other two parts of this show, but ofering many worthwhile challenges.
Mars, The Bringer of War is the first movement of Gustav Holst's monumental work "The Planets." Mars was completed in 1914, and thus many historians have "taken it for granted that Mars was inspired" by the First World War. (Holst: A Biography by Imogen Holst). With its relentless ostinato pounding and its ominous harmonic movement, Mars and the rest of "The Planets" suite has become one of the most recognizable works of the 20th century, influencing a score of composers (you can hear a not-too subtle hint of Mars in John Williams’ famous Imperial March from the Star Wars Trilogy). There are two different arrangements to choose from, one that is moderate difficulty (04-001) and one that is more advanced (06-003).
"Jupiter" is the fourth movement of Gustav Holst's The Planets suite. One of the most frequently heard, it has made appearances in films such as The Right Stuff, and television shows such as The Quartermass Experiment. It has even served as inspiration for pop and rock artists such as Frank Zappa (Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin) and Bathory (Hammerheart). The chorale section that makes up the majority of this arrangement was developed into a patriotic hymn (Thaxted, also known as I vow to thee, my Country) by Cecil Spring-Rice.
Uranus is the sixth movement of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" suite, and is one rarely heard on the marching field, mostly because of it's use of 12/8 meter, displaced rhythms, and difficult key. In this case, Uranus is not the Roman mythological god, but rather the ruler of the astrological Aquarius. The quirky and frantic twin of Paul Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice, Uranus is arranged here for advanced bands with good instrumentation.
Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (England) in 1874. He is most famous for his orchestral suite, "The Planets," but is also well-known for his two military suites for band (Suite in E-flat, Op. 28 No. 1, and Suite in F, Op. 28 No. 2), his Hammersmith, the St. Paul's Suite for string orchestra, and various smaller orchestral works. Holst was influenced by Hindy mysticism and spirituality, as well as astronomy and astrology, which led to his interest in composing a suite based around the supposed "personalities" ascribed to the planets in the book What Is A Horoscope? by Alan Leo. "The Planets" was composed in two stages, with Mars, Venus, and Jupiter coming first, and Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Mercury composed after a break to work on other pieces.
While Holst lived to see the discovery of Pluto, he chose not to add it to the suite. The companion piece Pluto, the Renewer, which is sometimes played with the full suite, was composed by Colin Matthews
For an audio sample of Mars (Moderate Difficulty) (MIDI), please click 
For an audio sample of Mars (Advanced) (FSU Marching Chiefs), please click
For an audio sample of Jupiter (MIDI), please click
For an audio sample of Uranus (MIDI), please click
Details
Catalog#: NN06-004 (Full Show)
Duration: 7:30
Difficulty: Advanced
Instrumentation:
Flute/Piccolo
Clarinet I-II-III
Alto Sax I-II
Tenor Sax
Trumpet I-II-III
Mellophone I-II
Tenor I-II-III (includes Trombone and Euphonium)
Basses
Timpani
Mallets
FULL SET: $180.00 (includes shipping)
(I will contact you to find out which version of Mars you are interested in)
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