I heard Imogen Holst perform at Juilliard when I was a student there in the late 1950s. She was an inspiration to me then, and I am so happy to see this documentary of her memories of her distinguished father. His Planets was a special favorite of my own son, Michael, when he was growing up!
William, thanks a lot for Your words....Holst is a favourite composer since I ve heard his op.37 ( op.32 it is the more famous piece , but my first was The Hymn )....best wishes
Well, what a pleasure. For me it was to see Imogen Holst again. When I was a student at the new University of East Anglia on its now long-gone temporary University Village site, in 1965/66, Imogen Holst gave a series of three talks entitled "East Anglian Composers" - that tiny figure seated on what seemed to be a huge stage, just talking. The first was about the Monks of St Edmundsbury (now more commonly known as Bury St Edmunds), the second was about her father, and the third about Benjamin Britten, whose amanuensis she was. Thank you for reminding me of this!
I honestly thought the title said "Remembering Gustav Mahler". But when I recognized Imogen Holst when she popped up, I figured she might've met Mahler. But then I saw the title again...she's the daughter of one of the most famous composers ever, and remembering him, speaking about what a marvelous and extraordinary man he was. It makes sense now. Imogen Holst herself is a very well-spoken woman, for sure. I could tell she loved her father very much, and looked up to him.
Valuable interview for all those with an interest in Holst's life and music. I can't imagine ITV (central television 1984) making such a documentary these days, and the BBC only seems to show repeat documentaries tucked away on an obscure evening only station called "BBC Four"...
A v. articulate, delicate odd little bird. But birds do fly, and fly she does. Her experiences as Britten's amanuensis must have been thrilling indeed, tho' a mixed one, since she was totally (& totally) in love w the man. I wonder what her feelings were about him & so many things. I suspect that it was what she did not say which most propelled her. Her father & Vaughan Williams were great friends, Britten not fond of either. She certainly had a huge heart to make room for all that conflict. As to her inner life w of these & many other personalities & music itself, she was a fount of knowledge & experience we shall never know much about. A fine composer she was too! My biggest feeling about her was that she lived a life w/o the love she (& we all) need so much to fulfil ourselves. But Imogen Holst had a specific, if in part tragic destiny to fulfil & that too she did. Bless her! R.I.P.
Thank you for this upload. I love how she (Imogen) is such a champion of her father's music and the joy which it gave her shines out in this documentary.
Thoroughly enjoyed this very informative and interesting biographical presentation of Holst's life and work. Thank you for making this available to us. Sincerely, David C Border.😊 enjoyed
I’m sure that an ambitious documentary could still use some of this footage and he would make a great subject. His music was so much more than just The Planets. For students of all ages, there is challenging music for you from Holst no matter if you are in band, orchestra or chorus. I find him very interesting not just as a composer but as a humble man who was totally uninterested in fame. A massive ego is not unusual in composers, but that was not Gustav Holst.
Imogen Holst was the inspiration behind the setting up of a music establishment at Dartington that went on to become Dartington College of Arts. She was sent by the very first manifestation of the Arts Council to encourage the arts in Devon. What a monster the Arts Council has now become. It serves no real purpose anymore. I remember singing some of her father's music at Dartington when she came to conduct a student reunion event. Delightful lady.
Holst's career as a composer was a classic example of someone going to the right place and/or meeting someone who might promote, encourage or create the right conditions for advancing a career. The contacts and conditions, unfortunately, weren't influential enough to be of real use, hence a lifetime spent with small amateur choirs and a flirtation with Anglican ritual, English folk music via RV-W (more impediment than help, in my view) and Hindu mysticism. Couple all this with daily bread earned teaching music in St Paul's Girls' School and having to hear his own music through the incipient school orchestra and it's easy to understand why Holst's output was quite modest. The curious and dazzling exception to this was The Planets, civering a vast orchestral canvas and speaking with an authentic voice. The orchestration is imaginative and totally flawless and hints at what might have been had Holst had access to a wider range of musical "enablers".
Amazing, i came about Holst's work through John Williams work in Star Wars. I've always liked the Imperial March theme and then later i found a video that compared the soundtrack to The Planets and came to the conclusion that Williams had been inspired by Holst. Cheers to anyone else that also likes The Planets, my favorite is Mars Bringer of War.
Thanks so much for uploading this! It's produced by Jim Berrow, who also made a documentary about Elgar (late 1970s?) with all the Elgar commentators (Moore, Kennedy, Young, McVeagh, etc.) and orchestra conducted by Rattle. I wonder if you have this? It would be wonderful to see it again. Thanks (also for the 1964 Proms War Requiem, which ought to be available on a commercial DVD).
No, sorry. I don't have that. However, I notice that you can buy it at Madison Art Shop. Btw, I too hope that War Requiem will come out on DVD. I've been told that for the Burning Fiery Furnace which the BBC broadcast in the late 60s that they cannot locate the artist's original contracts, so they cannot negotiate for commercial release. I wonder if that's also the case for the War Requiem since that would be even earlier.
@@johnrandolph6121 it is an unfinished film made in the late 70s, the bbc even published the rare footage in 2009, but they were deleted from the site some time later: www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2009/07/09/holst_films_feature.shtml (if there is an error in the link, just search for 'Holst the lost films', assuming it is the first link that appears) but after a lot of searching and getting in touch with a lot of people, I got the films with the help of Colin Matthews, we got copies of the Gloucestershire Archive, it wasn't easy, we had to get authorization from the former directors of the film to get copies for studies private, and we got copies of the DVDs with a quote, that's about 4 weeks ago, now we're waiting for the copies to arrive.
Imogen Holst died years before I was born. And here I am listening to her talk about Gustav Holst, her dad. Technology is amazing.
I heard Imogen Holst perform at Juilliard when I was a student there in the late 1950s. She was an inspiration to me then, and I am so happy to see this documentary of her memories of her distinguished father. His Planets was a special favorite of my own son, Michael, when he was growing up!
William, thanks a lot for Your words....Holst is a favourite composer since I ve heard his op.37 ( op.32 it is the more famous piece , but my first was The Hymn )....best wishes
This is rather moving. What a lovely woman, and so like her father in appearance.
Oh wow. I'm becoming quite emotional soaking this in.
She is lovely. How wonderful she must have been for her students.
I've always very much liked Gustav Holst's music, and what a darling woman!
Well, what a pleasure. For me it was to see Imogen Holst again. When I was a student at the new University of East Anglia on its now long-gone temporary University Village site, in 1965/66, Imogen Holst gave a series of three talks entitled "East Anglian Composers" - that tiny figure seated on what seemed to be a huge stage, just talking. The first was about the Monks of St Edmundsbury (now more commonly known as Bury St Edmunds), the second was about her father, and the third about Benjamin Britten, whose amanuensis she was. Thank you for reminding me of this!
Thanks for sharing such a great story!
I love Sāvitri, Gustav Holst’s on-act opera, with Imogen Holst conducting.
Wonderful documentary of a great sadly underrated British composer! I love his Choral Symphony
Fabulous documentary. The Glory days of British modern classical music. What people!!
I honestly thought the title said "Remembering Gustav Mahler". But when I recognized Imogen Holst when she popped up, I figured she might've met Mahler. But then I saw the title again...she's the daughter of one of the most famous composers ever, and remembering him, speaking about what a marvelous and extraordinary man he was. It makes sense now. Imogen Holst herself is a very well-spoken woman, for sure. I could tell she loved her father very much, and looked up to him.
What a wonderful documentary, and what a wonderful woman!
Valuable interview for all those with an interest in Holst's life and music. I can't imagine ITV (central television 1984) making such a documentary these days, and the BBC only seems to show repeat documentaries tucked away on an obscure evening only station called "BBC Four"...
Unfortunately film makers who excelled making documentaries such as this do not exist anymore. And we are much the poorer for it.
You are so right. Xx
She shows a fine understanding of her father, which, documented here, helps listeners to better appreciate his work.
A v. articulate, delicate odd little bird. But birds do fly, and fly she does. Her experiences as Britten's amanuensis must have been thrilling indeed, tho' a mixed one, since she was totally (& totally) in love w the man. I wonder what her feelings were about him & so many things. I suspect that it was what she did not say which most propelled her. Her father & Vaughan Williams were great friends, Britten not fond of either. She certainly had a huge heart to make room for all that conflict. As to her inner life w of these & many other personalities & music itself, she was a fount of knowledge & experience we shall never know much about. A fine composer she was too! My biggest feeling about her was that she lived a life w/o the love she (& we all) need so much to fulfil ourselves. But Imogen Holst had a specific, if in part tragic destiny to fulfil & that too she did. Bless her! R.I.P.
What an excellent perspective. I am glad that Imogen took the time to reflect on her father’s legacy
Thank you for this upload. I love how she (Imogen) is such a champion of her father's music and the joy which it gave her shines out in this documentary.
Fantastic!!
One of my musical heroes and what a treasure of a documentary. Thank you so much for posting this.
Thoroughly enjoyed this very informative and interesting biographical presentation of Holst's life and work. Thank you for making this available to us. Sincerely, David C Border.😊
enjoyed
I’m sure that an ambitious documentary could still use some of this footage and he would make a great subject. His music was so much more than just The Planets. For students of all ages, there is challenging music for you from Holst no matter if you are in band, orchestra or chorus. I find him very interesting not just as a composer but as a humble man who was totally uninterested in fame. A massive ego is not unusual in composers, but that was not Gustav Holst.
Were doing a marching band show about the planets this year. It's great to see so much history behind a well known composer
1934 What a sad year for music with the loss of Delius, Elgar and Holst
Imogen Holst was the inspiration behind the setting up of a music establishment at Dartington that went on to become Dartington College of Arts. She was sent by the very first manifestation of the Arts Council to encourage the arts in Devon. What a monster the Arts Council has now become. It serves no real purpose anymore. I remember singing some of her father's music at Dartington when she came to conduct a student reunion event. Delightful lady.
Holst's career as a composer was a classic example of someone going to the right place and/or meeting someone who might promote, encourage or create the right conditions for advancing a career. The contacts and conditions, unfortunately, weren't influential enough to be of real use, hence a lifetime spent with small amateur choirs and a flirtation with Anglican ritual, English folk music via RV-W (more impediment than help, in my view) and Hindu mysticism. Couple all this with daily bread earned teaching music in St Paul's Girls' School and having to hear his own music through the incipient school orchestra and it's easy to understand why Holst's output was quite modest. The curious and dazzling exception to this was The Planets, civering a vast orchestral canvas and speaking with an authentic voice. The orchestration is imaginative and totally flawless and hints at what might have been had Holst had access to a wider range of musical "enablers".
Holst has other serious orchestral works - he wasn't a one hit wonder.
This is amazing. Thank you.
I agree! You are very welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Amazing, i came about Holst's work through John Williams work in Star Wars. I've always liked the Imperial March theme and then later i found a video that compared the soundtrack to The Planets and came to the conclusion that Williams had been inspired by Holst. Cheers to anyone else that also likes The Planets, my favorite is Mars Bringer of War.
Thank you for sharing such a gem with us!
What a wonderful documentary! Thank you for sharing 🙏
In the bleak midwinter is a rather magical piece.
Thanks so much for uploading this! It's produced by Jim Berrow, who also made a documentary about Elgar (late 1970s?) with all the Elgar commentators (Moore, Kennedy, Young, McVeagh, etc.) and orchestra conducted by Rattle. I wonder if you have this? It would be wonderful to see it again. Thanks (also for the 1964 Proms War Requiem, which ought to be available on a commercial DVD).
No, sorry. I don't have that. However, I notice that you can buy it at Madison Art Shop. Btw, I too hope that War Requiem will come out on DVD. I've been told that for the Burning Fiery Furnace which the BBC broadcast in the late 60s that they cannot locate the artist's original contracts, so they cannot negotiate for commercial release. I wonder if that's also the case for the War Requiem since that would be even earlier.
@@johnrandolph6121 It's now here on RUclips! ruclips.net/video/9ap8FyBZFD0/видео.html. Wonderful!
Imogen Holst = the British Nadia Boulanger
My favourite English composer, with a very foreign name. Shows the incredible contribution migrants and their descendants make to our society.
wonderful !
It's often Holst's own music that makes my head threaten to hit the roof. (In the good way.)
Thanks for this!
if she shaves her hair, you'll get Gustav Holst !
I can't be the only one who noticed the music of Edvard Grieg on the piano at 2:14.😁
that he was!
23.40, part of which composition?
Egdon Heath
And 11:22?
@@boranmert4587 Choral Hymns From the Rig Veda
Do you have the Gustav Holst: The Lost Films?
No, not even familiar with that.
@@johnrandolph6121 it is an unfinished film made in the late 70s, the bbc even published the rare footage in 2009, but they were deleted from the site some time later: www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2009/07/09/holst_films_feature.shtml (if there is an error in the link, just search for 'Holst the lost films', assuming it is the first link that appears) but after a lot of searching and getting in touch with a lot of people, I got the films with the help of Colin Matthews, we got copies of the Gloucestershire Archive, it wasn't easy, we had to get authorization from the former directors of the film to get copies for studies private, and we got copies of the DVDs with a quote, that's about 4 weeks ago, now we're waiting for the copies to arrive.
ahh..what a Lady:) Thanks for sharing! I assume this is Holst daughter??
Why are you monetizing this video?
My account is not monetized. Any ads on my videos were not placed there by me and I receive no revenue from them.
@@johnrandolph6121 I see. My bad for assuming - thank you for sharing these great documentaries!
@@unidentifiedflyinghuman586 No problem. I hope you enjoy them.
What a ridiculously stupid accusation. Have you never used RUclips before?
Gary Nilsson wasn’t meant to be polite. Now kindly shut up.
whos here for school?
What class?