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Composer of the Week: Gustav Holst

Michael Zwiebach on September 19, 2013
Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst

Some composers have fascinating lives — they behave as if they’re the lead character in a political thriller or action-adventure movie. And then there are those like Gustav Holst, whose birthday anniversary is on Saturday.

He had an interest in astronomy, which is where he got the idea for his most famous piece, The Planets, easily one of the most popular orchestral works and an inspiration for John Williams and many other film composers. He also delved into Hindu mythology and the Sanskrit language. But beyond that, he was a shy man whose major career move was a teaching position at St. Paul’s Girls School in London. But there are still fun facts to discover, video, audio, links and much more.

Find out about the man who created The Planets in SFCV's Composer Gallery.