Gustav Holst once said that, “Failure is the most important part of an artist's training, and one you cannot afford to do without”. A composer’s life is often one of many peaks and valleys that, in the end, help to forge them into a world renowned composer whose legacy stands the test of time. The life of composer Gustav Holst is no exception to this. From an early age he had to overcome several physical and emotional hurdles. However, by the time of his death Holst had become a mainly self-taught composer, who learned from experience and experimentation, constantly searching for the right sound.
On September 21, 1874 Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham, England. As the son of accomplished pianist, Adolph Holst, he began playing the piano from a young age and also practiced the violin. Despite the joy he had when playing music, he was a miserable child who was weak and suffered from asthma and anemia. At age 11 his father sent him to Cheltenham Grammar School in the hopes of having Gustav follow in his footsteps and become a proficient pianist. During this time he learned how to play the trombone. When he was older he found an interest in composing and in 1892 composed the two-act operetta, Lansdown Castle. Shortly after, in 1895, Holst won a scholarship to attend the Royal College of Music to further study composition. It was here that he wrote his first opera under the guidance of his professor, Charles Stanford, titled The Revoke. In 1898 Holst left the Royal College of Music for the Carl Rosa Opera Company where he was later appointed as first trombone. Throughout his experience at Carl Rosa, Holst was able to learn how an orchestra worked which would later assist him in his future compositions.
By the early twentieth century...
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...nd influenced future generations of composers.
Works Cited
Lace, Ian. "1. The Early Years." Gustav Holst (1874–1934). Kenric Taylor, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. http://www.gustavholst.info/biography/index.php?chapter=1
· "Gustav Holst." - Short Biography. Music Sales Classical, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/short-bio/712 · Cummings, Robert. "Gustav Holst | Music Biography, Credits and Discography | AllMusic." AllMusic. AllMusic, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gustav-holst-mn0000099034
· Erb, Jane. "Classical Net - Basic Repertoire List - Holst." Classical Net - Basic Repertoire List - Holst. Classical Net, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. http://www.classical.net/~music/comp.lst/holst.php
Frederic Chopin, the Polish composer and pianist, was born on March 1,1810, according to the statements of the artist himself and his family, but according to his baptismal certificate, which was written several weeks after his birth, the date was 22 February. His birthplace was the village of Zelazowa Wola, part of the Duchy of Warsaw.
Johannes Brahms was a German Composer, Pianist and conductor of the 19th century or the Romantic period. He was one of the 3 B's or the Big three: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Johannes was a very self-critic man he burned many of his pieces before he could get anyone's opinion on them and he burned all of his compositions that he wrote before the age of 19.
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2. Gustav Holst, The Man and His Music. By Michael Short. Oxford University Press (1990).
Willoughby, David. "Chapter 11." The World of Music. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 249-53. Print.
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