EIF Holst's The Planets LPO Usher Hall 5th August 2025 Review
“Holst’s The Planets” performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Usher Hall tonight was clearly an event that many people were looking forward to, as the concert was obviously a sell-out performance. The chance to hear the full performance of this work was, to be fair, probably only half of the reason for high ticket sales, the other being the chance to watch and listen to Italian pianist Beatrice Rana and her performance of “Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”.
Tonight’s programme of music began with a short 13 minute work from composer Judith Weir and her magical soundscape “Forest”. Surtitles were in use above the orchestra for this concert and their use should be more widespread in classical performances as they have the ability to convey not only information, but to keep everyone in the audience updated as to what point in the music the performance is at. Some people might consider this to be a superfluous use of technology, but for many people it will enhance their understanding and enjoyment of a performance.
It was then, for me, interesting to read that this work took on an almost organic life of its own as it grew out of the first few bars of the music. That natural development of the music itself has allowed Judith Weir to create a mystical, almost fairy-tale soundscape of this forest and the, at times, strange world that we are taken deeper and deeper into. Here the LPO, under the musical guidance of conductor Edward Gardner, became the perfect guides to us all for this journey into the unknown.
The opportunity to enjoy a performance by a musician as gifted as Beatrice Rana was something a little bit special and the sheer variety of the 24 different variations of “Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” clearly demands both exceptional technical and interpretive skills from anyone attempting to perform it, but it also serves as a showcase for performers to make a bold statement to everyone in the venue. Tonight, Beatrice Rana left no one in any doubt as to why her performance skills on piano are in such high demand across the world.
“Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” is one of those works that to many people will feel familiar but just as you think you know this work, over its 25 minutes or so performance time, it takes on different moods, different colours whilst also allowing room for someone of Beatrice Rana’s skill level to leave their own musical identity firmly stamped upon it. Tonight, all of the audience applause that Beatrice Rana received for her performance was justified.
Last, but not least, this evening was “Holst’s The Planets”. For many people in the audience tonight, at least one or more of these tone-paintings would have sounded familiar as since its creation (1914-1917) this work has become interwoven into the fabric of so many people’s soundscape.
There is little really that can be said about this work that has not already been said already, but as we live in a time where science has allowed spacecraft probes to travel to all of these planets and photograph and analyse their true physical nature, it is still refreshing to experience the romance that Holst gave to these heavenly bodies. This is not the music of cold hard scientific fact, but the romance of the planets of astrology and the horoscope. This mythology also takes us back to the identities given to the old Roman and Greek gods of mythology.
To experience “Holst’s The Planets” you really do need to be in a classic specially built concert hall such as the Usher Hall and have a large orchestra like the London Philharmonic performing the music live. The sheer power of Holst’s music from the opening encounter with Mars, the Bringer of War and its immediate contrast with Venus, The Bringer of Peace was obviously a musical event that so many people tonight had come out to experience and Edward Gardner’s intuitive guidance as conductor allowed the LPO to bring out the full range of colour and emotions of this work over its 54 minute performance time. “Holst’s The Planets” also allowed for a rare chance to hear the wonderful Usher Hall organ being played.
Review by Tom King © 2025
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
Tonight’s programme of music began with a short 13 minute work from composer Judith Weir and her magical soundscape “Forest”. Surtitles were in use above the orchestra for this concert and their use should be more widespread in classical performances as they have the ability to convey not only information, but to keep everyone in the audience updated as to what point in the music the performance is at. Some people might consider this to be a superfluous use of technology, but for many people it will enhance their understanding and enjoyment of a performance.
It was then, for me, interesting to read that this work took on an almost organic life of its own as it grew out of the first few bars of the music. That natural development of the music itself has allowed Judith Weir to create a mystical, almost fairy-tale soundscape of this forest and the, at times, strange world that we are taken deeper and deeper into. Here the LPO, under the musical guidance of conductor Edward Gardner, became the perfect guides to us all for this journey into the unknown.
The opportunity to enjoy a performance by a musician as gifted as Beatrice Rana was something a little bit special and the sheer variety of the 24 different variations of “Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” clearly demands both exceptional technical and interpretive skills from anyone attempting to perform it, but it also serves as a showcase for performers to make a bold statement to everyone in the venue. Tonight, Beatrice Rana left no one in any doubt as to why her performance skills on piano are in such high demand across the world.
“Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” is one of those works that to many people will feel familiar but just as you think you know this work, over its 25 minutes or so performance time, it takes on different moods, different colours whilst also allowing room for someone of Beatrice Rana’s skill level to leave their own musical identity firmly stamped upon it. Tonight, all of the audience applause that Beatrice Rana received for her performance was justified.
Last, but not least, this evening was “Holst’s The Planets”. For many people in the audience tonight, at least one or more of these tone-paintings would have sounded familiar as since its creation (1914-1917) this work has become interwoven into the fabric of so many people’s soundscape.
There is little really that can be said about this work that has not already been said already, but as we live in a time where science has allowed spacecraft probes to travel to all of these planets and photograph and analyse their true physical nature, it is still refreshing to experience the romance that Holst gave to these heavenly bodies. This is not the music of cold hard scientific fact, but the romance of the planets of astrology and the horoscope. This mythology also takes us back to the identities given to the old Roman and Greek gods of mythology.
To experience “Holst’s The Planets” you really do need to be in a classic specially built concert hall such as the Usher Hall and have a large orchestra like the London Philharmonic performing the music live. The sheer power of Holst’s music from the opening encounter with Mars, the Bringer of War and its immediate contrast with Venus, The Bringer of Peace was obviously a musical event that so many people tonight had come out to experience and Edward Gardner’s intuitive guidance as conductor allowed the LPO to bring out the full range of colour and emotions of this work over its 54 minute performance time. “Holst’s The Planets” also allowed for a rare chance to hear the wonderful Usher Hall organ being played.
Review by Tom King © 2025
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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