Holst’s The Planets
Holst’s The Planets
The London Philharmonic Orchestra takes you on the ultimate cosmic journey.
Under the baton of principal conductor Edward Gardner, the London Philharmonic Orchestra returns to the Festival for the first time in a decade with a stunning programme.
The concert commences with Judith Weir’s Forest, an enchanting work with a fairytale character. Then, the prodigiously gifted pianist Beatrice Rana performs Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a dazzling reimagining of Niccolò Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 for piano and orchestra.
Ending with a big bang, Gustav Holst’s The Planets takes you on the ultimate cosmic journey to explore our place in the universe. Inspired by his love of astrology, Holst transformed each planet into a mythological character – from the fierce god of war, Mars, to the serene goddess of love, Venus.
Supported by Dunard Fund and Edinburgh Napier University,
with additional support from the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Institute of Culture in Edinburgh.
Programme
A keepsake freesheet is available at the venue for this performance.
Full programme
Judith Weir Forest
13minsRachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43
25minsIntroduction. Allegro vivace – Variation I (Precedente)
Theme. L'istesso tempo
Variation II. L'istesso tempo
Variation III. L'istesso tempo
Variation IV. Più vivo
Variation V. Tempo precedente
Variation VI. L'istesso tempo
Variation VII. Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
Variation VIII. Tempo I
Variation IX. L'istesso tempo
Variation X. L'istesso tempo
Variation XI. Moderato
Variation XII. Tempo di minuetto
Variation XIII. Allegro
Variation XIV. L'istesso tempo
Variation XV. Più vivo scherzando
Variation XVI. Allegretto
Variation XVII. Allegretto
Variation XVIII. Andante cantabile
Variation XIX. A tempo vivace
Variation XX. Un poco più vivo
Variation XXI. Un poco più vivo
Variation XXII. Un poco più vivo (Alla breve)
Variation XXIII. L'istesso tempo
Variation XXIV. A tempo un poco meno mosso
Holst The Planets, Op.32
54minsI. Mars, the Bringer of War
II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
VI. Uranus, the Magician
VII. Neptune, the Mystic
Performers
CloseOpen
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Edward GardnerConductor
- Beatrice RanaPiano
- Christopher BellArtistic Director
- Mark EvansAssociate Chorus Director
National Youth Choir of ScotlandCloseOpen
- SopranoSophie Allan
Stephanie Bell
Amanda Blackwell
Amelia Buchan
Rei Camilleri
Jaimee Cheung
Emma Fairbairn
Eleanor Gaskell
Florence Gill
Brigitte Harrigan Lees
Shauna Healy
Mhairi Hendry
Helen King
Lorelei Law
Emily MacDonald
Miriam MacDonald
Emily MacFarlane
Sophia Mashwani
Olivia Massimo
Niamh McLean
Iris O'Connell
Rachel Quinn
Ruth Sodden
Amy Spearing
Beth Taylor
Susannah Thomasson
Noemi Thompson
Elinor Weir
Caitlyn Yule - AltoMaisie Arbuckle
May Bruce
Mia Cookson
Elena Devlin
Lucy Ellis
Joanna Farrow
Penelope Fish
Nicola Forgues-Puccio
Ruby Ginoris
Katy Hardie
Emily Henderson
Caragh Hird
Ellen MacDougall
Abigail Mackay
Clara Marks Lewin
Lucie McBean
Morven McIntyre
Juliet McKenzie
Katie McKinstry
Niamh Paddon
Kieran Penman
Emily Phillips
Iona Pirie
Elina Purina
Isabelle Quemby
Mollie Quigley
Natalie Rengger
Anna Scott Brown
Eva Smeddle
Poppy Strachan
Eva Tarsia
Dive Deeper
The enormity of the universe revealed by science cannot readily be grasped by the human brain, but the music of The Planets enables the mind to acquire some comprehension of the vastness of space where rational understanding failsGustav Holst
