The Planets

Gustav Holst (Composer), Alexander Gibson (Conductor), Royal Scottish National Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra
• Conductor: Alexander Gibson
• Composer: Gustav Holst
• Audio CD (August 18, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B000009QB6
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,942 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Planets, Op. 32: Mars - The Bringer Of War

2. The Planets, Op. 32: Venus - The Bringer Of Peace

3. The Planets, Op. 32: Mercury - The Winged Messenger

4. The Planets, Op. 32: Jupiter - The Bringer Of Jollity

5. The Planets, Op. 32: Saturn - The Bringer Of Old Age

6. The Planets, Op. 32: Uranus - The Magician

7. The Planets, Op. 32: Neptune - The Mystic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cosmic Experience, July 14, 2004

By 

Brian Hudon (New York State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Planets (Audio CD)

I purchased this recording after having heard many other Planets recordings so to find one now that impresses me this much is great. The first thing I liked about this recording is the recorded sound. It is deep and open sounding and you are comfortable listening to it at any volume level. The performance is first rate from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Sir Alexander Gibson. Mars is evenly measured and threatening, giving you the feeling of the coming of war and all its horrors. It is not noisy, cluttered or chaotic. The great chordal structure of this planet comes through beautifully here. Venus is contrastingly peaceful and serene and nearly romantic and features a lot a great solo playing from the orchestra giving you the great sense of longing and meloncholy that this planet conveys when played well. Mercury again as throughout the whole, features more delicate playing and wonderful rhythms. Jupiter comes through with all the power and might and magic that it should. The best thing here is the great brass playing that precedes the beautiful central melody and then again leading up to the the great finale. Saturn is wonderfully ponderous in its great mysteries, moving inevitablty towards age and darkness and yet with a lovely end. Uranus is the frightening wizard, conjuring up darker spells than the Sorcerer's Apprentice ever imagined. Again, Gibson brings out the many details in what might otherwise be a cluttered score. Neptune is as haunting as any recorded and ends as a ghostly chorus leads us to comtemplate the infinate nature of time and space. As you can tell I love this recording and recommend it to anyone who loves The Planets or to anyone who has never heard it before. Listen to this one while gazing at th night sky; great disc!

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cosmic, September 23, 1998

By 

Linda Hatfield-Southern - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Planets (Audio CD)

I am listening to the piece "mars the bringer of war". I feel that i am listening to a cosmic war of the solar system. The dissonance of the notes the soaring violins: I swear I can look into the sky and see the stellar war of all wars.The march of a cosmic invader into the the solar system, battling to find out who is the supreme ruler of the solar system.Holst paints a musical portrait similiar to Wagner and Die Walkure. I feel like I want to conquer Saturn instead of Poland.

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Listener, December 2, 1999

By 

onier (Taipei) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Planets (Audio CD)

I think that you are the best listener. Keep it, and try to listen "Tha Planets" was recordered by London Orchestra, you will have different feeling.