A live performance without audience, with some remakes at the end. Evgeny Svetlanov conducts the State Academic SO in Gustav Holst's The Planets, op. 32, live around 1992. Евгений Светланов - Густав Холст
00:00 I. Mars, the Bringer of War 08:41 II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace 17:36 III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger 21:42 IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity 29:57 V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age 39:11 VI. Uranus, the Magician 46:41 VII. Neptune, the Mystic 56:33 remakes
Wow. This is the best interpretation and performance of "The Planets". Jupiter and Uranus are especially brilliantly done - nothing compared to all other versions! This interpretation brings out the best of the music, all the details worked out so carefully and with expression in all the pieces! Honestly, this is the first interpretation that made me finally appreciate and enjoy "Uranus" and understand what the composer wanted to convey! All the other version just didn't "get it" as well. This is whole another level of performing music.
This genial piece, ''The Planets'', and Holts who composed it, was created in such a manner that, every time I listen to it sounds better, more profound and somehow enigmatic. How this composer was abe to absorb the essence of the Cosmos and make music off it? Because he was brilliant and an awesome composer. And it summarizes it all.
00:02 __ I. Mars, the Bringer of War (1914) 08:41 __ II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace (1914) 17:36 __ III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger (1916) 21:42 __ IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (1914) 29:57 __ V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (1915) 46:41 __ VI. Uranus, the Magician (1915) 56:33 __ VII. Neptune, the Mystic (1915) ***** Belo
Mars is definitely on the slower side -- ca. 120-125 bpm, but very well done. As a string player, a slower tempo means being to play those difficult 16th note passages... 😁
Don't understand why the cameraman didn't zoom in on the harpist during Neptune, as there were at least two areas where there was a lot of harp. The shots were only distant.
At 39:23 the camera was on the wrong timpanist! It was the other timpanist that had the important solo !!! As Maxwell Smart would say: ( MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH )
The Russians would certainly be able to identify with this music, not least with its opening movement. I recall the conductor from his appearances in London. A legendary name!
No offense intended, but Svetlanov has just decided to take it at a tempo that doesn't match what you're used to hearing or expecting. It's called an "interpretation."
