About The Planets Online
The Concert
'The Planets Op. 32' by Gustav Holst
Performed by the Auburn Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Anthony Spain
Featuring the Seattle Pacific University Women's Chorus
Choreographed visuals and lighting: 'The Planets Live' by Adrian Wyard
Sound by Bill Levey
Commentators
Music Composition: Bath Philharmonia Music Director, Jason Thornton
All others: Adrian Wyard
New commentaries will be added over time. To see what we're working on follow this link
Web Site
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Jupiter is marked Allegro Giocoso (joyfully lively) in Cmajor in 2/4
Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity
Opening texture is formed out of four three-note patterns
This movement was inpired by Jupiter the king of the Roman gods. Jupiter is also associated with Sagittarius
The first theme is a highly syncopated jaunty melody
A big image for bold music that depicts a big, bold planet!
Mighty Jupiter - the king of the planets (Wikipedia)
The main theme is re-stated using a unique combination of instruments
Missions to Jupiter
This is Jupiter's moon Io (Wikipedia)
3D model built with images from the Galileo spacecraft
Cymbals always indicate an event of some kind - here it’s the introduction of Jupiter’s moon, Io
The second melody with its fanfare qualities is played by 4 unison french horns
Here's Jupiter's moon Callisto (Wikipedia)
Horns ‘herald’ too. Here they announce the arrival of Callisto, another of the four Galilean moons
This is Ganymede (Wikipedia)
Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System
Where did they go? Jupiter is a prankster
The third theme is another highly jaunty melody played by strings and horns
The third themes second quotation uses full woodwind with a sprinkling of glockenspiel
A return to first theme in closed three part harmony
First quotation of the 4th theme played by french horns in unison
The moons rotate with a speed that matches the music
This is Europa (Wikipedia)
Jupiter’s four main moons were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610
The waltz theme is played by trumpets in octaves
The waltz gathers tempo through a stringendo
The waltz reaches a Fsharp major climax
Out from Jupiter's Red Spot (NASA/JPL/SSI)
As mentioned before a crescendo with cymbals needs a dramatic event. Here we show a high-speed zoom out from Jupiter’s Red Spot
Image by the Cassini spacecraft
The fanfare second theme is accompanied by a novel and exceptionally rapid pizzicato
Fifth Theme - in Eflat major, reminiscent of an English Hymn tune
Down we go to Europa's cracked surface
Majestic hymn-like music needs an appropriately majestic scene
This middle section ('Andante Maestoso') has been used in many other compositions
Flying over Androgeos linea (NASA/LPI/Schenk)
Europa has a liquid water ocean under its icy surface
Flying over Conamara Chaos (NASA/LPI/Schenk)
Europa gets stretched by 100ft every three days. This is caused by Jupiter’s enormous gravity
And a concluding melody needs a concluding, slowing image
Return to the fanfare second theme played by cor anglais
A small image for a quiet melody
Return to first theme on oboe in Amajor
An abrupt return to the opening theme played fortissimo
Drama!
An Active Volcano on Io (NASA/JPL/UA)
The horns herald a new scene once again
Jupiter Flyby (NASA/JPL/MSSS)
Jupiter's South Pole (NASA/JPL/SwRI/MSSS)
Jupiter has the biggest ocean of any planet, albeit made of metallic hydrogen
Image by the Juno spacecraft
Listen out for the comma or luftpause before the return of the third theme (general pause on the upbeat)
Jupiter's Weather (NASA/JPL/Björn Jónsson)
Animation built with images from the Voyager 1 spacecraft
Jupiter's Weather in 2D (NASA/JPL/SSI)
Return of the waltz theme in Dflat major in 3/4
Return of the English Hymn Fifth theme in all lower instruments
Presto (very fast) tempo using the original three note texture
Listen out for the final chord (Cmajor) - it's the only note for Bass Drum in the movement
Marked Allegro Giocoso (joyfully lively) in Cmajor in 2/4
Opening texture is formed out of four three-note patterns superimposed over one another played by 1st and 2nd violins
The first theme is a highly syncopated jaunty melody played by 6 horns cellos and violas in unison followed by an orchestral crescendo using the previous three note patterns
The main theme is re-stated using a unique combination of instruments. The melody is played completely by a double set of timpani. In order to play all the melody's notes Holst has to spread the tune across two sets of timpani. In addition Holst uses double basses, tuba, tenor tuba, and bassoons
The second melody with its fanfare qualities is played by 4 unison french horns followed by another highly syncopated answering phrase played by strings, clarinets and bassoons. The following section is an inter-play of theme two and the opening three note texture played by 3 flutes and piccolo
The third theme is another highly jaunty melody played by strings and horns in unison accompanied by a traditional umm-pah pattern in double basses, tuba and trombones
The third themes second quotation uses full woodwind with a sprinkling of glockenspiel
A return to first theme in closed three part harmony in violins and violas, interspersed with the three note opening texture and theme 2 (fanfares)
First quotation of the 4th theme played by french horns in unison in which Holst uses a waltz as his medium for Jollity - in 3/4, followed by strings and woodwind reiterating the melody
The waltz theme is played by trumpets in octaves accompanied by arpeggiated woodwind lines and the first appearance of a tambourine
The waltz gathers tempo through a stringendo (meaning to get quicker), and Holst combines the 4th melody with the syncopated 1st melody played by trombones
The waltz reaches a Fsharp major climax followed by a fanfare from brass using the rhythm of the first theme followed by timpani using a fragment from the same source in 2/4
The fanfare second theme is accompanied by a novel and exceptionally rapid pizzicato (plucking of the string) in violas and cellos
Fifth Theme - in Eflat major, reminiscent of an English Hymn tune - used later for 'I vow to thee my Country'; perhaps more in the style of Edward Elgar?
Return to the fanfare second theme played by cor anglais accompanied by rapidly repeated two note patterns in first and second violins, followed by upper strings tremolando (rapid movement of the bow at the point on one note)
Return to first theme on oboe in Amajor
An abrupt return to the opening theme played fortissimo
Listen out for the comma or luftpause before the return of the third theme (general pause on the upbeat)
Return of the waltz theme in Dflat major in 3/4
Return of the English Hymn Fifth theme in all lower instruments accompanied by ascending and descending scales in harp and woodwind in the key of Bmajor. Upper strings play arpeggiated ten notes to a quarter. The section concludes with a rising chromatic scale in strings and lower wind
Presto (very fast) tempo using the original three note texture in upper strings and wind with final quotation of a rhythmic fragment from the opening theme played by trombones and double timpani
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