There are several composer that are well known for just one piece of music, like

• Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade

• Dukas: l’apprenti sorcier

• Delius; Upon hearing the 1st cuckoo in spring

 

And of course, the Planets of Gustav Holst

Maybe you want to listen to it:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHVsszW7Nds

 

Although this piece is really brilliant, there is more Holst to enjoy. I just take the Naxos recording containing Beni Mora, Somerset Rhapsody  and Hammersmith

 

    http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.553696

(if you subscribe to Naxos you can listen 25% of the CD’s for free)

 

I visited the Gustav Holst museum in Cheltenham, very interesting when you want to catch up with the past of a remarkable composer.

 

    http://www.holstmuseum.org.uk/aboutholst.htm

 

What I like about Holst is that it is really fresh and original music. In this period the English music, that was more or less unconscious for centuries (Purcell being the last Great Composer) was brought back to live. Starting with Elgar there is a constant stream of highly original composers (also check Moeran, Britten, Walton, Simpson, Brian). There are a few characteristics to this music I would like to mention. First the music is very melodic, pleasant to listen to. Then there is a strong influence of folk songs, which gives the music a very characteristic sound. May I say it becomes Typically English?

 

But the pieces I choose now show that Holst has a very distinctive form of writing, not only in the Planets he writes beautiful melodies. What I marvel is the fact he can make such intense music, even for cello solo and orchestra, listen to the Invocation and other examples (of the Naxos recording):