Gustav Holst

Invocation was composed in 1911 and first performed on May 2nd of that year in the Queen's Hall London by May Mukle with the New Symphony Orchestra conducted by Landon Ronald. The work received several performances with Piano accompaniment before 1914 but with the public success of The Planets it became one of many works that Holst never had time to revise or publish. A certain amount of editing of dynamics and phrasing has been necessary and the Piano reduction has occasionally been slightly adjusted to match the orchestral accompaniment more closely. The separate Cello part has been edited by Julian Lloyd-Webber.

Jupiter’s Theme is probably the best known of melodies from the Gustav Holst epic orchestral work The Planets. This arrangement for string quartet will bring a feel of patriotism to any concert as it is also the melody to ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’.

This String Trio is technically quite accessible for competent players. It's a very early work by Holst who is best known for 'The Planets'. It was written while he was still a student but it is nevertheless a mature piece worthy of a place in the String Trio repertoire. Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham in 1874 and died in 1934.

In the brilliant demanding Double Concerto two sides of Holst’s character find expression the mystical and reticent balancing the physical and audacious. Audiences gave the piece a mixed reception on its premiere in 1930 butlisteners of today would find in the bitonality and contrapuntal textures a musical language with which they are conversant. The three-movement piece I Scherzo II Lament II Variations on a Ground is arranged here for twoViolins with rehearsal Piano with comments by the composer’s daughter.