I got into my car this morning on my way to work, and what was on the radio the moment it started? Why, Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite! I LOVE St. Paul’s Suite! I played it my freshman year of high school, the really awesome year where we had like five people in the orchestra and I WAS the first violin section. I stayed in my car three extra minutes after pulling into a parking space at work to hear the end of the fourth movement (no worries; I was early).
This evening I had dinner with my grandmother, and as I started my car for that trip I was regaled with the final few bars of the “Jupiter” movement from Holst’s The Planets. And I said to myself, what, is it Holst’s birthday or something? The deejay confirmed. So as a means of commemorating this very special day, being as it is the day of possibly my very favorite British composer, I present to you: a quote by the man himself, on amateur musicianship.
“If a thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing badly.”
Amen, brother.
Holst is also EXTREMELY important in the literature & origins of American Wind Band music – and wind band literature in general. Plus, he had love for the EUPHONIUM! This is my instrument, and in high school we played transcriptions of Mars & Jupiter…
I love your promotion of this British icon – continue to the good work.
Peace out,
Dr. Carney
Posted by Dr. Carney | September 22, 2010, 11:15 am