Gustav Holst

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Gustav HolstThe Planets

• A Suite For Large Orchestra

By Eddie McCaffrey
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The PlanetsBy Gustav Holst1914-1917

• DIRECTIONS
• GUSTAV HOLST
• MARS
• VENUS
• MERCURY
• JUPITER
• SATURN
• URANUS
• NEPTUNE

Click to see Mr. Wiilliams and the Arcola
Planetarium
Why are there only seven planets represent?
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ANSWER
There are only seven planets represent instead of
nine because He was looking up into the sky in
the early 1900s. He wouldnt see Earth because
he is standing on it He was also missing Pluto
because it wasnt discovered until 1930. (The
Planets was written from 1914-1917)
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DIRECTIONS

• You need at least two musical traits of each
  planet (TEMPO, DYNAMICS, INSTRUMENTS) and at
  least two other characteristics
• Click on the planet you want to get facts on
  (click on the composer)
• Each planet has musical facts listed
• Click on the picture of the planet to get
  physical characteristics
• Click on the Roman god link to get mythological
  characteristics
• Home returns you to the main page
• Arrows take you back and forth between the
  planets

HOME
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GUSTAV HOLST

• Lived from 1874 1934
• Loved to practice the piano
• Practiced so much he developed the disease
  nervitis in his fingers
• He started to read and study the planets and
  horoscopes
• Possibly how he caused dissonance?
• Was a pioneer ahead of his time with dissonance
  in music

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Dissonance

• What is Dissonance?
• Dissonance is tone clusters
• Many notes played together in a cluster instead
  of a chord
• Very different and unusual for the time period
• People did not really like the sound of
  dissonance around the turn of the century
• Today we are used to it and it does not sound
  strange at all

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MARS
Bringer of War

• Instruments
• brass (Trumpets)
• percussion
• Dynamics
• mf lt f with accents
• Tempo
• medium fast

HOME
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The God of War

• Red color made people think of blood
• People would decide when to attack by the
  position of Mars

More Info Online
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VENUS

• Instruments
• woodwind (oboe)
• string (harp, string bass)
• euphonium
• Dynamics
• p lt mp (calm)
• Tempo
• slow (legato)

Bringer of Peace Love
HOME
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Goddess of Love

• Considered the bringer of Peace and Love
• Was the most beautiful thing in the sky

More Info Online
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MERCURY Winged Messenger

• Instruments
• woodwinds (oboe)
• celeste
• brass (French horn)
• Dynamics
• p lt f gt p
• Tempo
• fast

HOME
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Winged Messenger

• Thought to be delivering messages from one god to
  the next
• Our line of sight makes it look like the planet
  goes from one planet to the next
• Very fast moving planet (closet to the sun)

More Info Online
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JUPITERBringer of JollityKing of the Gods

• Instruments
• full orchestra
• brass (trumpets)
• string
• percussion (tambourine)
• Dynamics
• loud (majestic)
• Tempo
• medium fast (majestic)

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King of the Gods

• Also considered the Bringer of Jollity
• Big people were considered jolly people
• Kings were larger people at the time so the
  biggest planet was considered the king

More Info Online
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SATURN Bringer of Old AgeGod of Time

• Instruments
• woodwinds
• string (string bass, English horn)
• percussion (chimes)
• Dynamics
• p lt mf lt f gt p ltmf
• Tempo
• very slow

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God of Time

• Also considered the Bringer of Old Age
• Very slow planet so it was associated with time
• People used to use Saturn as a means of when to
  plant and harvest the crops

More Info Online
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URANUS The MagicianGod of the Sky

• Instruments
• brass
• percussion (timpani, xylophone)
• woodwind (bassoon)
• Dynamics
• changing ( f lt ff gt mp lt mf gt p )
• Tempo
• changing ( fast slow fast )

HOME
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God of the Sky

• Also considered The Magician
• The planet is on the edge of human eye sight
• It seems to appear and disappear if you stare at
  it (like a magician makes things appear and
  disappear)

More Info Online
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NEPTUNE God of the Sea

• Instrument
• woodwinds
• strings (harp)
• human voices
• Dynamics
• p lt mp
• Tempo
• slow

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Acknowledgements
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God of the Sea

• God of anything that has to do with water
• Also considered The Mystic
• Could help predict the future

More Info Online
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Acknowledgements

• Gustav Holst The Planets
• Recorded by the New York Symphony Orchestra 1987
• Thank-you to Mr. Williams for the use of his web
  site
• Joyce Bustard and her knowledge of the Roman Gods

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