Gustav Holst: Vedic Hymns Op24 for Voice And Piano: Voice: Vocal Album

The collection of nine Vedic Hymns (Op. 24) for solo Voice with Piano accompaniment marked a turning point in Holst's compositions. They were inspired by Hindu scripture and Indian raga and first published in1908. Vac (Speech) is the seventh movement and is the first of the third group of hymns where the theme shifts into the human sphere.Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was an English composer and teacher.Having studied under Stanford and Parry he became a close friend of Vaughan Williams they would often critique each other’s work and influenced composers such as Tippet and Britten. He is best remembered for hisPlanets suite.

In his use of authentic Englsh folksongs Gnostic texts and Vedic hymns one can discern Holst’s search for a compositional Voice beyond the constraints of the European canon in the early 1900’s. In 1916 hepublished Six Choral Folk Songs of which Hampshire folk tune The Song of the Blacksmith is the fourth.Holst uses the power of his mixed Voice Chorale to set the song among onomatopaeic syllables to evoke the smithy. The song isone verse long which Holst repeats not quite completely three times like the endlessly spinning thoughts of a rejected lover. There are many time signature changes between 4/4 and ¾.Gustav Holst has earned a place amongthe most revered of late 19th and early 20th century composers and is best known for his enduring Orchestral suite The Planets.

In his use of authentic Englsh folksongs Gnostic texts and Vedic hymns one can discern Holst’s search for a compositional Voice beyond the constraints of the European canon in the early 1900’s. In 1916 hepublished Six Choral Folk Songs of which Cornish folk tune I Love My Love is the fifth number.The song is a tale of a girl ‘in Bedlam’ who awaits her love’s return from the sea. It moves into Dorian mode and outagain with a particularly effective sighing motif in the middle section. Gustav Holst has earned a place among the most revered of late 19th and early 20th century composers and is best known for his enduring Orchestral suite ThePlanets.