The Planets, Op. 32
Written between 1914-16, English composer Gustav Holst based this seven movement work not on astronomy, but on astrology, a topic that he had become interested in when he was introduced to it by a friend in the spring of 1913. Each movement is intended to convey the emotional effect that the planet is said to have on the psyche according to astrology and it is these characters and colors created by Holst that have made the piece so popular with audiences. While this piece is undoubtedly a masterpiece and Holst's most widely known/performed work, Holst himself was unhappy with how it seemed to overshadow many of his other works. Despite this, he remained partial to his favorite movement: Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age.
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