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Underground > Radio & Music >

Mars

pointless & uncalled for

11:15 / 31.10.06

In his Planets Suite, Gustav Holst gives us a piece that embodies the spirit of the planet's Roman God namesake. Based on the form of a march it's militaristic tones set the pace of the piece. Biulding on that the work is threatening, imposing and demanding, making Holst's message very clear.

Mars is in town, he's tooled up and he's spoiling for a fight.

Despite Holst's protestations that the suite eclipsed his other, greater works, the suite immediately and continues to receive high acclaim by both critics and audiences. But did he get it right? Or is his interpretation off the mark?

uncle retrospective

13:38 / 31.10.06

KAHN!!!!!!!

uncle retrospective

13:38 / 31.10.06

sorry

Kiltartan Cross

14:04 / 31.10.06

I think Mars captures the vain, pompous, strident, discordant, ugly essence of militarism; as you say, it captures the essence of Mars very well. Perhaps, strictly speaking, it is more Ares than Mars; the identity of the two is not by any means complete; Ares has more of the bullying character of the music.

Mars has always overshadowed the rest of the suite, for me - with Jupiter in second - except on the happy occasion I heard the whole thing live; it all seemed to gel a lot better, and the poor sidelined planets came back into their own a bit; Mars, mind, is fantastic live, loud enough to really feel it. I can't recommend going to see the suite highly enough; if you get the chance, go!

MattShepherd: I WEDDED KALI!

14:25 / 31.10.06

Having played the tuba in high school, I came to hate Mars with a passion that frightened me.

I'm pretty sure a tuba player killed Holst's father, and he spent the rest of his life devising ways to make their lips bleed.

16:42 / 31.10.06

I'm an enormous fan of Mars - i think it's an extraordinary piece of work although I count it, along with 1984 and Slaughterhouse 5, as sort of apocalyptic pornography that stimulates and thrills because of the strange sense of liberation and release that apocalypse brings with it. Mars seems a solid and focused entity - it's not nuanced, it's not about collisions of ideas, it's about survival and relentlessness and grinding destruction and as such it's quite brain calming and therapeutic. I think it puts you into the headspace where you're focused on one clear aspect of yourself which drowns out everything else. I think that's one of the reasons that people like it, along with the fact that it carries with it all the heart-pounding focus-inducing elements of music designed to inspire people to war. In that regards it's another conflicted piece, destructive but sexy, anti-war but inspiring heart-pounding confidence and focus. The rest of the Planets suite seems to be entirely too mannered and insipid in comparison, with the possible exception of the bit which became 'I vow to thee my country' which is, I think, in Jupiter?

Kiltartan Cross

17:12 / 31.10.06

It is. I think there's an interesting parallel with Shostakovich's 8th Symphony - the fast, driving, martial central section of which strongly overshadows (for me at least) the rest of it. It's very similar to Mars, and is another great piece of music.

pointless & uncalled for

07:35 / 01.11.06

Tom - I think your right about the comparison with the other pieces in the suite and if I were to level any criticism at Holst, it would be that he should have ordered it differently.

I think that, by having Mars as the opener, the audience is given an expectation of epicness that is unfulflled by the following pieces. Were it placed later on in the order then the comparisson would be more poignant and accessible.

There is a sense of perspective that is achieved by this piece in conjunction with the others (I may discuss other parts of the suite individually in later threads) that presents the characteristics of Mars as a an aspect of life. It's representative of the inevitability of the place such things in our life as anger, violence, conflict, destruction and very acute ordering. In accpeting these things into the suite I get this feeling of hommage or even devotion that when observed exercises our needs and as you say has a calming effect once the apolcalypse is over. Certainly there is credit to Holst here that he was able to bring the piece to a good finish that is suitably cathartic but doesn't necessarily leave the listener wanting more.

13:57 / 03.11.06

There are pieces which represent war, as Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kay pointed out with Shostakovich.

Mars tries to BE war, embody it if you will.

Holst succeeds admirably.