Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music [Hardcover]

Michael Short (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 8, 1990 | ISBN-10: 019314154X | ISBN-13: 978-0193141544

Gustav Holst's "Planets" suite has become established as one of the classics of twentieth-century orchestral music. Short's access to Holst's letters and diaries, as well as his close work with Holst's daughter Imogen have resulted in the most detailed book on the composer's life and music yet to appear. Containing new information which has become available since Imogen Holst published a biography of her father fifty years ago, this book includes an analysis of Holst's musical style and a substantial reference section.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 8, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019314154X
• ISBN-13: 978-0193141544
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,499,757 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Holst biography!, April 10, 2005

By 

John Dziadecki (Louisville, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music (Hardcover)

Holst was a gentle soul of rare talent and accomplishment. Exceptionaly well researched and well written biography. This is THE standard Holst biography. Why this is out of print is a complete mystery. May be available at your local library -- if you're lucky. I was and read it. I would very much like to obtain a copy. So, whoever has rights to publishing this work, perhaps another printing or a new edition is in order? Where else is one to go for a thorough Holst biography? Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitve book on Holst (in addition to Imogen Holst's books), July 28, 2007

By 

Andreas Gryphius (BRD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music (Hardcover)

This long-time-out-of-print book is clearly the definitive book on Gustav Holst, his life and the undercurrents of his music. Holst was a character of enigmatic dichotomy: he was at once friendly, greragious, jolly and rumbustious - but at the same time solitary, remote and seemingly aloof. He was concerned with the warmth of human relationships, but with mystical speculations as well. His thought and music could be simultaneously simple AND complex. He was a straightforward schoolmaster and a restless, introspective artist at the same time.

Many of his friends noticed the contrast between his vigorous and outgoing nature and his other-worldliness: as if he had acess to SOME SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE, which they had not. And of such mystery is his music, he is one of the most important composers of the first half of the 20th century and it is a shame, that of his marvellous works only "The Planets", "The Hymn of Jesus" and the "St. Pauls's Suite" are more widely known, despite the fact, that his entire oevre has been marvelously recorded on CD (check Chandos.com for more on this).

As Ralph Vaughan-Williams one put it, it is "the blend of the realist with the visionary, that gives Holst's music its distinctive character", and this clearly mirrors in Holst's life, for instance in his interest in the Socialist music movement at the turn of the century and simultaneously his private studies of Sanskrit and of Vedic scriptures.

Why this book has been out of print for almost twenty years (since 1990 to be exact) is a complete mystery to me! After a meticulous search for this book in more or less all used bookstores I was able to contact - either online or in real life - I was finally able to abtain a copy of this book from a Manchester bookstore.

.. and I haven't had any reason to regret my purchase. No buyer's remorse at all.

Strongly recommended for each and everyone interested in Holst's life and work.