Conducted by Andre Previn.

The Planets Op. 32 is a seven-movement orchestral suite by the English composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1916. The Planets is the most-performed composition by an English composer. Its first complete public performance was on October 10, 1918 in Birmingham, with Appleby Matthews conducting. However, an earlier invitation-only premiere occurred during World War I on September 29, 1918, in the Queen's Hall in London, conducted by Adrian Boult.

The elaborate score of The Planets produces unusual, complex sounds by using some unique instruments and multiples of instruments in the large orchestra (like Mahler's Sixth of 1906), such as three oboes, three bassoons, two piccolos, two harps, bass oboe, two timpani players, glockenspiel, celesta, xylophone, tubular bells, and organ.

Holst had been influenced by Stravinsky, who used four oboes and four bassoons in his Rite of Spring (1912-1913) and by Schoenberg's 1909 composition titled "Five Pieces for Orchestra".

The concept of the work is astrological rather than astronomical (which is why Earth is not included). The idea was suggested to Holst by Clifford Bax, who introduced him to astrology when the two were amongst a small group of English artists holidaying in Majorca in the spring of 1913; Holst became quite a devotee of the subject, and liked to cast friends' horoscopes for fun. Each movement is intended to convey ideas and emotions associated with the human psyche, not the Roman deities. Holst also used Alan Leo's book What is a Horoscope? as a springboard for his own ideas, as well as for the subtitles (i.e., "The Bringer of...") for the movements.

The Planets as a work in progress was originally scored for a piano duet, except for "Neptune," which was scored for a single organ, as Holst believed that the sound of the piano was too harsh for a world as mysterious and distant as Neptune. Holst then scored the suite for a large orchestra and it was in this incarnation that it became enormously popular. Holst's use of orchestration was very imaginative and colourful, showing the influence of Schoenberg, and other continental composers of the day rather than his English predecessors. The influence of Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring is especially notable. These new (at least for British audiences) sonorities helped make the suite an instant success. Although The Planets remains Holst's most popular work, the composer himself did not count it among his best creations and later in life complained that its popularity had completely surpassed his other works. He did, however, conduct a recorded performance of the suite in the early 1920s, and he was partial to his own favourite movement, "Saturn".

Interactive sound matching activity featuring an aeroplane, a helicopter and a space shuttle.

Image from www.nasa.gov

Image from www.nasa.gov

Image from www.nasa.gov

Video images associated with moon landings from NASA accompanied by the Frank Sinatra recording of classic Jazz song 'Fly Me To the Moon' from www.nasa.gov

KS2 Idea - To provoke a discussion about 'what is it like on the moon?' loop this video from about a third of the way in to play just the images of astronauts on the moon. Pupil's could think about the different sounds they might hear and then try to recreate them with either vocals or instruments, then organise these sounds into a soundscape, either live or by recording them into a sequencing program such as Audacity.

Jupiter, the bringer of Jollity from Holst's famous Planet Suite. Perfect listening for any Space theme and descriptive/atmospheric music.

Neptune, the mystic, from Holst's famous Planet Suite. Perfect listening for any Space theme and descriptive/atmospheric music.

Space themed song from 1975, tells the story of a spaceman visiting earth based on the story of the angel Gabriel visiting the shepherds in the Christmas story.

Shorter version of Murray Gold's 2005 version of Dr Who theme.
KS3 pupils may want to compare the structure of the two and could be set the task of 'chopping' or re-writing another longer piece to create a shorter TV theme version. Primary teachers may want to use this as 'tidy-up' music in the classroom.