Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst’s music moves from the cosmic sweep of The Planets to spare, singing folk and Christmas settings that choirs still reach for. His arrangements of English song and carols carry a clear line and a quiet ceremonial glow.
English folk melody sits at the centre of much of what he wrote for voices. I Love My Love and the ringing Personent Hodie arrangement show how he could harden a traditional tune into something processional and unsentimental. Christmas Day braids familiar carols into one festive span for choir and orchestra. Beyond the seasonal pieces, his ear for colour and for plain, purposeful harmony shaped chamber opera, Sanskrit hymn settings and school-suite writing that still sounds fresh. The Planets made his name; the smaller choral and folk works keep him in active repertoire.
Compositions by Gustav Holst appear on
Christmas Day
Ranging from a cappella singing to full orchestral colour, these carols make an ideal gift for music-loving friends. The programme is mostly modern, yet warmly listenable.