Holst Planets: Mars

We begin our study on Gustav Holst’s The Planets! Written in 1914-16, this orchestral masterpiece is essential for every composer and orchestrator to have in their toolbox. We’ll dive into useful orchestration techniques and discuss the influence this piece has had on film music. In our first Planets meeting, we’ll take a close look at the first movement, Mars.

Award-winning composer and conductor of the LA Youth Orchestra Russell Steinberg will join ASA President David Das for a detailed look at the score. We also feature a mockup version of Mars, enabling us to isolate instruments and sections and learn how the composition was put together and how we can apply those techniques to our own music. There are notable parallels between this movement and the score to Star Wars by John Williams.