Saturday, November 2, 2013

Holst: The Planets - Uranus, the Magician

The German musical letters in Holst’s name G, Es, A H (G, E flat, A, B) are announced like powerful incantation on the trumpets and trombones (Holst’s own instrument). Out of the resigned serenity of Saturn. Holst bursts with confidence, enthusiasm, humour and originality. 
In astrology Uranus governs the forces we cannot see or understand and is illogical and erratic, but also it has a passionate energy not too dissimilar to Mars. All this can be heard and felt in this wonderful but powerfully extrovert movement. -Words by Raymond Head



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