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 | Born: Cheltenham (England), 21 September 1874 |
 | Died: London, 25 May 1934 |
Gustav Holst was an English composer and became famous for his suite,
The Planets.
It is a series of seven "movements", one for each of the non-Earth planets
known in Holst’s day (i.e., all of the planets but Earth and Pluto). The basic
inspiration for the musical description of the planets is their astrological
nature and not any association to Greek or Roman gods or myths.
One of the themes to Jupiter was subsequently used as the basis
for a patriotic hymn (I vow to thee my country).
Play MIDI File
I vow
to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love:
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.
Biographies online
http://www.naxos.com/composer/holst.htm
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/holst/Page1.html
http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/holst.html
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