Holst, Gustav(us Theodore von)

significant English composer, father of Imogen (Clare) Holst; b. Cheltenham, Sept. 21, 1874; d. London, May 25, 1934. He was of Swedish descent. He received his primary musical training from his parents. In 1892 he became organist and choirmaster in Wyck Rissington, Gloucestershire; in 1893 he entered the Royal Coll. of Music in London, where he studied composition with Stanford and Rockstro, organ with Hoyte, and piano with Sharpe; also learned to play the trombone. After graduating in 1898, he was a trombonist in the orch. of the Carl Rosa Opera Co. (until 1900) and the Scottish Orch. in Glasgow (1900–1903). His interest in Hindu philosophy, religion, and music during this period led to the composition of his settings from the Sanskrit of Hymns from the Rig Veda (1907–08). He worked as a music teacher in a Dulwich girls’ school (1903–20); was director of music at St. Paul’s Girls’ School, Hammersmith (1905–34), and of London’s Morley Coll. (1907–24). He became a teacher of composition at the Royal Coll. of Music (1919); was also prof, of music at Univ. Coll., Reading (1919–23). Plagued by suspicions of his German sympathies at the outbreak of World War I in 1914, he removed the Germanic-looking (actually Swedish) nobiliary particle ’Von” from his surname; his early works had been publ, under the name Gustav von Hoist. He was deemed unfit for military service, but served as YMCA musical organizer among the British troops in the Near East in 1918. After the war, he visited the U.S. as a lecturer and conductor in 1923 and 1932. However, his deteriorating health limited his activities; his daughter described his mind in the last years of his life as “closed in gray isolation.” Hoist’s most celebrated work, the large-scale orch. suite The Planets, was inspired by the astrological significance of the planets. It consists of 7 movements, each bearing a mythological subtitle: 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, with an epilogue of female voices singing wordless syllables. It was first performed privately in London (Sept. 29, 1918); 5 movements were played in public (Feb. 15, 1920); the first complete performance followed (Nov. 15, 1920). The melodic and harmonic style of the work epitomizes Hoist’s musical convictions, in which lyrical, dramatic, and triumphant motifs are alternately presented in coruscatingly effective orch. dress. His music in general reflects the influence of English folk songs and the madrigal. He was a master of choral writing; one of his notable works utilizing choral forces was The Hymn of Jesus (1917). His writings were ed. by S. Lloyd and E. Rubbra as Gustav Holst: Collected Essays (London, 1974). See also I. Hoist and C.Matthews, eds., Gustav Holst: Collected Facsimile Edition of Autograph Manuscripts of the Published Works (4 vols., London, 1974-83).

Works

dramatic:opera: The Revoke, op.l (1895); The Youth’s Choice, op.ll (1902); Sita, op.23 (1899–1906); Savitri, chamber opera, op.25 (1908; London, Dec. 5, 1916); The Perfect Fool, op.39 (1918-22; London, May 14, 1923); At the Boar’s Head, op.42 (1924; Manchester, April 3, 1925); The Wandering Scholar, chamber opera, op.50 (1929-30; Liverpool, Jan. 31, 1934). OTHER: Lansdown Castle, operetta (Cheltenham, Feb. 7, 1893); The Idea, children’s operetta (c. 1898); The Vision of Dame Christian, masque, op.27a (London, July 22, 1909). Ballet: The Lure (1921); The Golden Goose, choral ballet, op.45/1 (BBC, London, Sept. 21, 1926); The Morning of the Year, choral ballet, op.45/2 (1926-27; London, March 17, 1927). incidental music:The Sneezing Charm (1918); 7 choruses from Alcestis (1920); The Coming of Christ (1927; Canterbury, May 28, 1928). ORCH.: A Winter Idyll (1897); Walt Whitman, overture, op.7 (1899); Sym. in F major, op.8, The Cotswolds (1899-1900; Bournemouth, April 24, 1902); Suite de ballet in E-flat major, op.10 (1899; London, May 20, 1904; rev. 1912); Indra, symphonic poem, op.13 (1903); A Song of the Night for Violin and Orch., op.19/1 (1905); Invocation for Cello and Orch., op.19/2 (1911); Songs of the West, op.21/1 (1906–07); A Somerset Rhapsody, op.21/2 (1906-07; London, April 6, 1910); 2 Songs without Words: Country Song and Marching Song for Chamber Orch., op.22 (1906); 2 suites for Military Band: No. 1, in E-flat major, op.28/1 (1909) and No. 2, in F major, op.28/2 (1911); Beni Mora, oriental suite, op.29/1 (1909-10; London, May 1, 1912); Phantastes, suite in F major (1911); St. Paul’s Suite for Strings, op.29/2 (1912–13); The Planets, op.32 (1914-16; private perf., London, Sept. 29, 1918; 1st complete public perf., London, Nov. 15, 1920); Japanese Suite, op.33 (1915); A Fugai Overture, op.40/1 (1922; as the overture to The Perfect Fool, London, May 14, 1923); A Fugal Concerto for Flute, Oboe, and Strings, op.40/2 (London, Oct. 11, 1923); Egdon Heath: Homage to Hardy, op.47 (1927; N.Y., Feb. 12, 1928); A Moorside Suite for Brass Band (London, Sept. 29, 1928); Double Concerto for 2 Violins and Orch., op.49 (1929; London, April 3, 1930); Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo for Military Band, op.52 (1930; 2nd version for Orch., 1931; London, Nov. 25, 1931); Jazz-band Piece (1932; ed. by I. Hoist as Capriccio, 1967; London, Jan. 10, 1968); Brook Green Suite for Strings (1933); Lyric Movement for Viola and Chamber Orch. (1933; BBC, London, March 18, 1934); Scherzo (1933-34; London, Feb. 6, 1935). CHAMBER: Fantasiestücke for Oboe and String Quartet, op.2 (1896; rev. 1910); Quintet in A minor for Piano, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon, op.3 (1896); Wind Quintet in A-flat major, op. 14 (1903; London, Sept. 15, 1982); Terzetto for Flute, Oboe, and Viola (1925). piano:Toccata (1924); Chrissemas Day in the Morning, op.46/1 (1926); 2 folk-song fragments: O í hae seen the roses blaw and The Shoemaker, op.46/2 (1927); Nocturne (1930); Jig (1932). VOCAL: Light Leaves Whisper for Chorus (c. 1896); Clear and Cool for Chorus and Orch., op.5 (1897); Clouds o’er the Summer Sky for Women’s Chorus and Piano (c. 1898); Ornulfs Drapa for Baritone and Orch., op.6 (1898); 5 Part Songs, op.9a (1897–1900); Ave Maria for 8-part Women’s Chorus, op.9b (1900); I Love Thee for Chorus (n.d.); 5 Part Songs, op.12 (1902–03); King Esimere for Chorus and Orch., op.17 (1903; London, April 4, 1908); Thou Didst Delight My Eyes for Chorus (c. 1903); In Youth Is Pleasure for Chorus (n.d.); The Mystic Trumpeter for Soprano and Orch., op. 18 (1904; London, June 29, 1905; rev. 1912); Songs from the Princess for Women’s Chorus, op.20a (1905); 4 Old English Carols for Chorus or Women’s Chorus and Piano, op.20b (1907); 2 carols for Chorus, Oboe, and Cello (1908, 1916); Pastoral for Women’s Chorus (c. 1908); ChoralHymns from the Rig Veda for Chorus and Orch. or Ensemble, op.26 (1908–10); O England My Country for Chorus and Orch. (1909); The Cloud Messenger for Chorus and Orch., op.30 (1909–10); Christmas Day for Chorus and Orch. (1910); 4 Part Songs for Women’s Chorus and Piano (1910); 2 Eastern Pictures for Women’s Chorus and Harp (1911); Hecuba’s Lament for Alto, Women’s Chorus, and Orch., op.31/1 (1911); 2 Psalms for Tenor, Chorus, Strings, and Organ (1912); The Swallow Leaves Her Nest for Women’s Chorus (c. 1912); The Homecoming for Men’s Chorus (1913); Hymn to Dionysus for Women’s Chorus and Orch., op.31/2 (1913); A Dirge for 2 Veterans for Men’s Chorus, Brass, and Percussion (1914); Nunc dimittis (1915); This I Have Done for My True Love, op.34/1 (1916); Lullay My Liking for Soprano and Chorus, op.34/2 (1916); Of One That Is So Fair for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, and Chorus, òp.34/3 (1916); Bring Us in Good Ale, op.34/4 (1916); 3 carols for Chorus and Orch. (1916–17); 3 Festival Choruses with Orch., op.36a (1916); 6 Choral Folk Songs, op.36b (1916); Diverus and Lazarus for Chorus (1917); 2 Part Songs for Women’s Chorus and Piano (1917); A Dream of Christmas for Women’s Chorus, and Strings or Piano (1917); The Hymn of Jesus for 2 Choruses, Women’s Semi-chorus, and Orch., op.37 (1917; London, March 25, 1920); Ode to Death for Chorus and Orch., op.38 (1919; Leeds Festival, Oct. 6, 1922); Short Festival Te Deum for Chorus and Orch. (1919); I Vow to Thee, My Country for Chorus and Orch. (1921; arranged from The Planets, no. 4); 1st Choral Symphony for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch., op.41 (1923-24; Leeds Festival, Oct. 7, 1925); The Evening- watch for Chorus, op.43/1 (1924); Sing Me the Men for Chorus, op.43/2 (1925); 7 Part Songs for Soprano, Women’s Chorus, and Strings, op.44 (1925–26); 2 anthems (1927); Wassail Song for Chorus (1928–30); A Choral Fantasia for Soprano, Chorus, Organ, Strings, Brass, and Percussion, op.51 (1930; Gloucester Festival, Sept. 8, 1931); 12 Welsh Folk Songs for Chorus (1930–31); 6 choruses, some with accompaniment, op.53 (1931–32); 8 canons (1932). S o n g s η g s: 4 Songs, op.4 (1896–98); 6 Songs, op.15 (1902–03); 6 Songs for Soprano and Piano, op.16 (1903–04); Hymns from the Rig Veda, op.24 (1907–08); The Heart Worships (1907); 4 Songs for Soprano or Tenor, and Violin, op.35 (1916–17); 12 Songs, op.48 (1929).

Bibliography

L. Dyer, G. H. (London, 1931); I. Hoist, G. H: A Biography (London, 1938; 2nd ed., 1969); E. Rubbra, G. H. (Monaco, 1947); I. Holst, The Music of G. H (London, 1951; 3 ed., rev., 1986, including H.’s Music Reconsidered); U. Vaughan Williams and I. Hoist, eds., Heirs and Rebels (London, 1959); I. Hoist, H. (London, 1974; 2nd ed., 1981); idem, A Thematic Catalogue of G. H.’s Music (London, 1974); M. Short, ed., G. H. (1874–1934): A Centenary Documentation (London, 1974); I. Holst, ed., A Scrapbook for the H. Birthplace Museum (Cheltenham, 1978); J. Mitchell, From Kneller Hall to Hammersmith: The Band Works ofG. H (Tutzing, 1990); M. Short, G. H: The Man and His Music (Oxford, 1990); R. Greene, G. H. and a Rhetoric of Musical Character: Language and Method in Selected Orchestral Works (N.Y., 1994); idem, H: The Planets (Cambridge, 1995).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire