Is it just me, or is it that English classical music doesn't get as much attention as, y'know, German or Austrian music. Apart from a few composers, England doesn't appear much in the spotlight. Today's prompt is a very interesting piece, both in terms of structure and symbolism: The Planets by Gustav Holst
The genesis of this suit can be traced back to 1912 after a lads' holiday in Majorca, Spain. Holst got interested in an astrology book by Alan Leo and he was so inspired that he decided to write a piece to mirror the vibes and properties of each planet in the Solar System. The movement is structured as follows:
1. Mars, bringer of War 2. Venus, bringer of Peace 3. Mercury, the winged messenger 4. Jupiter, the bringer of Jollity 5. Saturn, bringer of Old Age 6. Uranus, the magician 7. Neptune, the mystic
Holst used a lot of unconventional methods to create unique soundscapes: the tenor tuba and base oboe in Uranus, 5 beats per bar in Mars, dissonant music inspired by Arnold Schoenberg in Saturn, a female choir fading in the distance in Neptune. Holst's music was so influential that it inspired psychedelic rock bands in the 60's and even John Williams' score for Darth Vader's March (that's a nod to Mars).
[If I have overlooked some details or you have any questions or if there is something I have missed, feel free to write it in the comments.]
Now, without further ado... WHAT IF IT WAS HUMAN?!
Deze afbeelding leeft onze inhoudsrichtlijnen niet na. Verwijder de afbeelding of upload een andere om verder te gaan met publiceren.
My favourite part of the suite must be between Uranus and Venus, so I gave him this fortune-teller-y look, but also a serene demeanor. I opted for concealing his eyes to make him look like some old Oracle priest or a higher deity. Each planet of the suite appears in his headpiece one way or another (this left room for thousands of variations and experiments). The outfit is heavily Genshin Impact influenced, partly because I thought the Asian aesthetic to be more mystical.
