Holst: 25–29.04.2011; 16–20.09.2024

[french frank]

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

"Donald Macleod tells the story of one of our most celebrated composers; a man who was deeply suspicious of his own celebrity. His series features many of Holst's works for the stage, including his ballets and complete performances of several rarely heard operas."

[ardcarp]

I'm very sorry that no-one (including me...oh, I just have) has contributed to this thread. I was only able to listen to parts of the week's output, but if nothing else I was really glad to have been introduced to that excellent (concerto?) for two violins. Had that fallen on my 'innocent ear' I don't think I would have attributed it to Holst. I'm ordering a CD right now. There were also valuable insights into Holst's life and personality. I suppose these are widely available (via IH's biography if not elsewhere) but we don't all have time to read everything. I'm now going to catch up on the bits I've missed via LA. CotW really is one of R3's jewels. I hope the Beeb doesn't interpret our lack of comments as being lack of interest.

[Roehre]

Ardcarp,
I am sure having a look at what others are listening to shows that you are not the only one, but that there are others too who are listening to CotW.

[StephenO]

CotW really is one of R3's jewels. I hope the Beeb doesn't interpret our lack of comments as being lack of interest.

Agreed. I'm grateful to the superbly presented CotW for introducing me to a whole galaxy of unfamiliar works (and in some cases composers - Geminiani, to name but one). R3 at its best. Not sure about the new time for the repeat, though.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm really sorry to have missed it all - only arrived back from holiday, 9.00 p.m. yesterday.

[Serial_Apologist]

Gustav returns to COTW this week - can it really be for the first time since 2011?

Embracer of Eastern mysticism, socialism, and the Modernism of his times, there is so much for like-mindeds and broad-mindeds to cherish about this allegedly mild-mannered friend of Vaughan Williams and teacher.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022shz

[vinteuil]

Embracer of Eastern mysticism, socialism, and the Modernism of his times, there is so much for like-mindeds and broad-mindeds to cherish about this allegedly mild-mannered friend of Vaughan Williams and teacher.

... and for those of us with close attachments to Hammersmith - and particularly indeed to Brook Green - Gustavus Theodore von Holst will always have a special place!

.

[Pulcinella]

Gustav returns to COTW this week - can it really be for the first time since 2011?

Embracer of Eastern mysticism, socialism, and the Modernism of his times, there is so much for like-mindeds and broad-mindeds to cherish about this allegedly mild-mannered friend of Vaughan Williams and teacher.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022shz

I've updated the thread title (and will modify the Schoenberg one to this style too, which I think is a bit better).

[Serial_Apologist]

... and for those of us with close attachments to Hammersmith - and particularly indeed to Brook Green - Gustavus Theodore von Holst will always have a special place!

.

[Serial_Apologist]

I've updated the thread title (and will modify the Schoenberg one to this style too, which I think is a bit better).

Again, many thanks!

[Serial_Apologist]

One might have liked to have heard more about how the character of Gustav Holst's music, its musical language, changed over the course of the composer's life. Otherwise it has been a good week's listening for anecdotes about the man and his activities, some of which were new to me.

[smittims]

I agree, but I think we have to accept that COTW just isn't meant to be more than lightweight, quite apart from the general current Radio 3 ban on anything intellectual .

I thought it an inexplicable error to play the Ode to Death (rarely broadcast anyway) in an arrangement for choir and organ rather than the original with orchestra. They have a perfectly good recording from the 2018 Proms conducted by Martyn Brabbins.

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm really sorry to have missed it all.

You haven’t! It’s all there for another month, you know!