Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, he composed many other works across a range of genres, although none achieved comparable success. His distinctive compositional style was the product of many influences, Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss being most crucial early in his development. The subsequent inspiration of the English folksong revival of the early 20th century, and the example of such rising modern composers as Maurice Ravel, led Holst to develop and refine an individual style.
There were professional musicians in the previous three generations of Holst's family and it was clear from his early years that he would follow the same calling. He hoped to become a pianist, but was prevented by neuritis in his right arm. Despite his father's reservations, he pursued a career as a composer, studying at the Royal College of Music under Charles Villiers Stanford. Unable to support himself by his compositions, he played the trombone professionally and later became a teacher—a great one, according to his colleague Ralph Vaughan Williams. Among other teaching activities he built up a strong tradition of performance at Morley College, where he served as musical director from 1907 until 1924, and pioneered music education for women at St Paul's Girls' School, where he taught from 1905 until his death in 1934. He was the founder of a series of Whitsun music festivals, which ran from 1916 for the remainder of his life.
Holst's works were played frequently in the early years of the 20th century, but it was not until the international success of The Planets in the years immediately after the First World War that he became a well-known figure. A shy man, he did not welcome this fame, and preferred to be left in peace to compose and teach. In his later years his uncompromising, personal style of composition struck many music lovers as too austere, and his brief popularity declined. Nevertheless, he was an important influence on a number of younger English composers, including Edmund Rubbra, Michael Tippett and Benjamin Britten. Apart from The Planets and a handful of other works, his music was generally neglected until the 1980s, when recordings of much of his output became available.
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Some of their strengths
Gustav Holst has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Sophisticated, Organized, Passionate, Curious, Altruistic, Intellectual, and Analytical.
Smart and Sophisticated
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Gustav Holst is someone who is a smart, sophisticated, and organized person who displays kindness and grace in every day interactions, and who also has a passionate soul. A person who really cares about helping others make the most of what they have.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Gustav Holst well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Organized and Achievement-oriented
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Gustav Holst as someone who is organized, goal-oriented, practical, and persevering.
Who is hardworking, intellectual, and easygoing, who loves higher education and learning and sharing ideas with others, and who loves healthy competition.
Charismatic and Instinctual
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Gustav Holst is someone who handles stress better than most people, and who tends to have a powerful charisma and convictions.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Altruistic and Purposeful
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Gustav Holst tends to be someone who has a desire to be of service to a higher calling and who is always trying to perfect things. Who can be practical and polished, reserved and methodical, and who tends to trust internal judgment before trusting anyone else at face value.
Some of Gustav Holst's challenges
While Gustav Holst has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Gustav Holst can be Callous, Difficult, Perfectionist, Rebellious, Emotionally Distant, Selfish, and Worrying.
Difficult and Perfectionist
One of Gustav Holst's key challenges is that they are someone who can be difficult and too much of a perfectionist.
Callous and Selfish
Gustav Holst is someone who can be standoffish, pessimistic, and ruthless, who can have difficulty concentrating and be impatient, can have difficulty discovering the keys to personal contentment, and who can have a tendency to overwork and hoard wealth and possessions.
Critical and Bossy
Finally, Gustav Holst also can be too focused on the small details of life, try to control whatever is happening, and be finicky and demanding.
