Holst was certainly a great master of orchestration, but this piece has biwhere near the majestic character and brilliance of The Planets.
We need to explore Sibelius, Elgar, Vaughan-Williams, Alexander Butterworth and Frederick Delius, Nilssen and othesr of the "northern" schools in greater depth.
Truly great music of which there is a super-abundance is surely THE most sadly neglected treasure trove on earth. But then it never WAS meant for "the masses," though they'd be more than welcome to enjoy it, if only they'd try. ;-)
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
FYI: There are several OTHER tone poems by Holst on YouTube. I just heard On Egon Heath a bleak but beautiful opus dedicated to that bleak but beautiful English novelist and lyric poet Thomas Hardy.
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Perfect choice! Always look forward to your Sunday posts... sad but true! Enough of politics.
ReplyDeleteHolst and Elgar are among my very favorite "second string" composers.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard this partiuar selection before, but look forward to enjoying it very soon.
Thanks for your inventive searches through the great treasury of available music literature.
Franco,
DeleteThis piece was new to me, also.
I note that there are several versions on YouTube, so it must be performed with some frequency.
Holst was certainly a great master of orchestration, but this piece has biwhere near the majestic character and brilliance of The Planets.
DeleteWe need to explore Sibelius, Elgar, Vaughan-Williams, Alexander Butterworth and Frederick Delius, Nilssen and othesr of the "northern" schools in greater depth.
Truly great music of which there is a super-abundance is surely THE most sadly neglected treasure trove on earth. But then it never WAS meant for "the masses," though they'd be more than welcome to enjoy it, if only they'd try. ;-)
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
ReplyDeleteLet the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
... Psalm 149 - KJV
FYI: There are several OTHER tone poems by Holst on YouTube. I just heard On Egon Heath a bleak but beautiful opus dedicated to that bleak but beautiful English novelist and lyric poet Thomas Hardy.
ReplyDeleteOver time I will attempt to explore them all.
I'm finding that I really enjoy Holst's lesser known pieces.
DeleteFindng more and more thngs tp love and ENJOY is the best way to pass the time, I have come to believe.
DeleteWe enervate ourselves with too much fear, anger and lamentation.