World of Pageantry

So i was looking online for "The Planets" by: Gustav Holst arranged for marching band. In my look I found the Plantes Earth and Pluto, now i had a CD of the planets and I don't remeber seeing Earth or pluto as one of the plantes. Did Gustav Holst create a song for Earth and/or Pluto?

Remember, Pluto is no longer a planet!

Also, if I am not mistaken, Pluto was discovered in 1930. Holst wrote The Planets between 1914 and 1916.

Holst did not write Pluto as it wasn't discovered at the time and didn't write Earth because...well, I'm not exactly sure why, maybe because we're not as cool as the other planets.

However, I think some other composers have gone back and tried to compose pieces for Earth and Pluto. I haven't heard them...but I'm not sure that I want to because I already like the suite the way it is.

Yes, the Planets was written before the discovery of Pluto. Yes, someone has written a "Pluto" movement for the Planets. "Pluto, the Renewer" was written by Colin Matthews.

One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn't belong...

We live on Earth, and it does not have a mythological name, so it does not fit in with the other movements.

The Berlin Philharmonic is releasing a CD of "The Planets" with the added Pluto movement and a companion suite called "Asteroids" written by four composers:

Asteroid 4179 - Toutatis (Kaija Saariaho)
Towards Osiris (Matthias Pintscher)
Ceres (Mark-Anthony Turnage)
Komarov's Fall (Brett Dean)

Ok, Im a big fan of the Planets. I have the LA Phil's recording under Zubin Metha and the score book that I found on Amazon.

The reason for pluto not being included has been stated and is correct.

Now, contrary to popular belief, the movements do not make a musical portrait of the actual planet. They actually are Holst's representation, through music, of a person's personality who was born under that planet. So, those born under mars would be "Bringers of War", or rather confrontational I guess. So, for this reason, there is no "Earth" movement as one could not be born under it.

I can not get enough of The Planets. I am hoping to see it twice after the new year, once by the LA Phil and once at CSUF. And I also consider it a well spent 35 mins to sit and follow along in the score with the suite blasting on my stereo.

Hope this helps.

Yeah...pluto = not discovered yet.

And it's not even a planet now.

The reason why Holst decided not to write a composition for Pluto was because he thought the addition would ruin the success of his already famous suite.
Personally, I believe you need a more upbeat song after a piece that features a chorus playing long held notes.
But that's just me.

barisaxy wrote:The reason why Holst decided not to write a composition for Pluto was because he thought the addition would ruin the success of his already famous suite.
Personally, I believe you need a more upbeat song after a piece that features a chorus playing long held notes.
But that's just me.

The chorus is off stage, and they fade out (by closing a door). The ending chords repeat and NEVER resolve. That's the whole point-going past the end of the known solar system into the unknown. Then ending is possibly the most brilliant aprt of the entire composition. A "Plutro" movement is a fun idea, but adds nothing to the composition.

FluteOfTheNewWorld wrote:Remember, Pluto is no longer a planet!

ya know, I really counted on Disney to put up a fight with the science community on that one. Especially since one of the more popular Disney characters was named after the little ex-planet

I'm glad pluto's no longer a planet because it makes Holt's suite complete

thegodfaughnder wrote:I'm glad pluto's no longer a planet because it makes Holt's suite complete

Bravo!