Holst: The Planets [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Gustav Holst (Composer), John [Film Composer] Williams (Composer), Zubin Mehta (Conductor), Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Zubin Mehta
• Composer: Gustav Holst, John [Film Composer] Williams
• Audio CD (April 10, 2001)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000050AQC
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,220 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 1, "Mars, the Bringer of War"

2. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 2, "Venus, the Bringer of Peace"

3. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 3, "Mercury, the Winged Messenger"

4. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 4, "Jupiter, the Bringer of Peace"

5. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 5, "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age"

6. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 6, "Uranus, the Magician"

7. The Planets, suite for orchestra & female chorus, Op. 32, H. 125: No. 7, "Neptune, the Mystic" (w/hidden 8-part female chorus)

8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, film score: Suite from the film score

9. Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, film score: Main title

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Holst: The Planets

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best recordings of "The Planets", at budget price, August 24, 2001

By	pm444 "pm444" (Okemos, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This was my first recording of "The Planets" when it was issued in the early 1970's on LP. I've been waiting for its re-issue on CD and was pleased to find it at budget price in the Eloquence series. Zubin Mehta brings youthful energy to the music, without going overboard, and the LA Philharmonic plays with style and class. The sound on LP was always excellent, typical of London/Decca engineering, and it sounds just as good in the remastering; there is some marginal tape hiss but nothing intrusive. For this price, it's a performance that's well worth adding to your collection, even if you already have another recording of the piece, just to hear Mehta's reading of the score.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Recording! Good Sound for an ADD source!, July 9, 2006

By	Frederick Baptist (Singapore) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Holst's "The Planets" ranks among my favourite classical pieces ever and this version by Mehta and the LA Philharmonic is the best version I've heard. In addition, the sound quality is quite good given the age of the recording and the fact that it comes from an analogue original source and so I can only imagine how much better this would be if it ever gets a remastering job from the best master tapes in Decca's vault.

Another reason why this cd deserves 5 stars is the fact that you get John Williams' "Close Encounters of the Third Kind Suite" and the "Star Wars Main Title" tracks here as well. It's just a stroke of inspiration putting these similarly-themed pieces on one disc.

Probably the best version of "The Planets" overall that you can get out there and at an unbelievably low price. Great value, good sound, great track selections.

Highly recommended.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, October 12, 2003

By	Sungu Okan "Can Okan" (Istanbul, Istanbul Turkey) - See all my reviews

At this price, this is a must have, this CD is excellent.

This CD were recorded with Surround System. In Home Cinema Systems or a Superb Stereo Systems, this recording can be played with excellent results.

As you know, "The Planets" is most famous and Most beatiful work by Holst. Supposing that, this is a film music. This Suite to take form in 7 movements. There isn't a Pluto movement, because, this planet was discovered in 30's (one or two years before Holst's death). And, in 1999, Colin Matthews written a new movement to named "Pluto, The Renewer" addition to suite's last movement "Neptune, The Mystic"...(Recording of this work is avaliable on Naxos conducted by David Lloyd - Jones)

And the performance is amazing. Perhaps, this is the best recording of Zubin Mehta with Los Angeles PO. Especially, the brass ensemble is terrific in Mars and Uranus movements. And Offstage Women's Chorus is very impressive in Neptune. Still this movement is very very impressive...

Highly recommended.