Planets, The (Op. 32/H125), No. 1: Mars, the Bringer of War Cover Image

Planets, The (Op. 32/H125), No. 1: Mars, the Bringer of War: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

$110.00 USD
$110.00 USD
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Planets, The (Op. 32/H125), No. 1: Mars, the Bringer of War Cover Image
Planets, The (Op. 32/H125), No. 1: Mars, the Bringer of War: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

Planets, The (Op. 32/H125), No. 1: Mars, the Bringer of War: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

By Gustav Holst, ed./arr. by Clinton F. Nieweg / Gregory Vaught

Item: 36-A820102
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Planets, The (Op. 32/H125), No. 1: Mars, the Bringer of War: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

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Description
Writing it between 1914 and 1917, Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was initially inspired to compose THE PLANETS based on a conversation he had about astrology while on holiday in Spain with some friends in 1913. Intrigued by the concepts, he sought to write an orchestral suite for seven of these astrological signs based on the planets known to the world at the time and imbue the music with the appropriate astrological meaning. Rather than order the planets as an astronomer would, Holst ordered them in such a way as to attain maximum musical effectiveness. Scored for a large orchestra, fellow composer Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote in 1920, "Holst uses a very large orchestra in THE PLANETS not to make his score look impressive, but because he needs the extra tone color and knows how to use it." Both "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" and this excerpt of "Mars, the Bringer of War" are the most popular and well-known movements in the suite. This critical edition of the "Mars" movement by Clinton Nieweg and Gregory Vaught is based on the composer's manuscript. Instrumentation: 2+2Picc.2+EH+BsOb.3+BCl.3+CBsn: 6.4.2.2: Timp(2).Perc(2): Hp(2).Org: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Nieweg Performance Editions - Kalmus
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 612735757984
SKU: 36-A820102
Instrumentation: 2+2Picc.2+EH+BsOb.3+BCl.3+CBsn: 6.4.2.2: Timp(2).Perc(2): Hp(2).Org: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Gustav Holst

Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was an English composer who fundamentally shaped twentieth-century orchestral writing through his bold use of color and unconventional harmonic language. Though trained in the Romantic tradition, he developed a distinctive voice marked by modal melody, complex rhythms, and orchestral transparency that influenced generations of composers who followed.

Holst's career spanned teaching, conducting, and composition, and he was deeply committed to music education; he founded the St. Paul's Girls' School orchestra and believed strongly in developing young musicians' ears and sensibilities. The Planets remains his most performed work, but his significance extends across choral music, band works, and chamber compositions that continue to challenge and inspire performers.

Why we love this

Mars demands everything from an orchestra and rewards meticulous preparation with one of the most visceral and propulsive experiences in the classical repertoire. The Nieweg-Vaught edition grounds the score in Holst's manuscript, giving you authoritative text while the work's relentless 5/4 momentum and orchestral density ensure your musicians stay engaged and accountable at every rehearsal.

What to expect

Relentless. Mars propels forward with insistent energy, built on pulsing rhythmic figures and cascading orchestral waves that suggest conflict and inevitability rather than triumph. The harmonic language is austere and modern for 1914, with dissonant layers that create tension and drive rather than resolution.

Who it's for

Advanced high school orchestras and college ensembles with secure rhythmic foundations and substantial brass and woodwind sections. Programming this movement requires musicians comfortable with complex meters and large-scale ensemble coordination, making it a natural choice for groups ready to tackle early twentieth-century symphonic literature.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish the pulse in 5/4 early and often; the time signature is the architecture, not a complication. Have your principal players feel it in their bodies before you rehearse the ensemble.
  • Balance the two harps and organ as a harmonic foundation layer separate from the melodic activity. They anchor the texture and prevent the score from becoming diffuse.
  • Push the brass into a direct, unromanticized sound. Holst's orchestration calls for clarity and weight, not warmth; avoid blending that softens the edges.
  • Mark your tempi carefully across the work's climactic sections. The momentum should feel inevitable, not driven; tempo should serve the architecture, not fight it.

How to use it

Mars works powerfully as a season opener or as part of a concert exploring twentieth-century orchestral color and innovation. It pairs well with other early modern works and can anchor a program around Holst's compositional legacy or a thematic concert on conflict and expression.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and performing complex meters (primarily 5/4) with ensemble precision
  • Balancing multiple orchestral layers and maintaining textural clarity
  • Sustaining rhythmic momentum and collective ensemble control across extended climactic sections
  • Interpreting early twentieth-century harmonic language and modal writing
  • Coordinating large ensemble forces with independent part work for woodwind and brass sections

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