Touring the Solar System with Holst's The Planets
IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
The Planets, Op. 32
Gustav Holst speaking, and it's my pleasure to explain IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, the fourth movement of my suite. You'll meet a bouncing, cheerful opening that gives way to a broad, slow tune, which I later turned into the hymn tune "Thaxted" in 1921. Once the last chord has sounded, you can put your skills to work here, where my fellow composers and I teach you to recognize our pieces when they play.
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Where to Point Your Ears
Before you press play, I'd ask you to listen for two things: a tune that can't keep still, and then a tune that stands up tall and sings. The quick music at the start bounces along in twos, so you can tap your foot to it without any training. Later the music drops to half that speed, and a broad, solid melody arrives, the kind a whole crowd could sing together. If you notice only that contrast between playful and grand, you've already understood most of what I wrote.Why I Called It Jollity
My starting point for the whole suite was astrology, not astronomy and not mythology, and in that way of thinking each planet has a character of its own. For Jupiter I wanted a character that is generous and cheerful, which is why I called it the Bringer of Jollity. I mean jollity as big-hearted gladness, the happiness of a festival, rather than a joke told for a quick laugh. You'll also hear some dignity in it, a bit like the relative at a wedding who dances with everyone and still gives the best speech.Choosing a Shape
Choosing the form for this movement was an adventure, because I didn't want to follow a strict sonata or a rondo. What I ended up with is roughly ABA: a lively opening, a slow middle, and then the opening comes back. The grand tune from the middle returns too, and the whole movement ends on one enormous chord played as loudly as the orchestra can manage. I'll take you through it in four sections, one at a time, so that you can see how they fit together.Section 1: The Party Starts Without Warning
I mark the opening Allegro giocoso, which means quick and playful, and it's in 2/4, a simple bouncing beat. There's no slow introduction and no polite clearing of the throat, because the music is already running when you arrive. Listen for how the tunes tumble over each other, as if everyone in the orchestra has heard good news at the same moment. This is the mood I want you to carry in your head, because everything that follows is a contrast to it.Section 2: A Dance With a Lilt
Soon a second theme appears, and this time the music moves in threes instead of twos, in 3/4. That small change gives the tune a swaying, rolling feel, as though the party has found a bigger floor to dance on. The mood stays warm and high-spirited, but it feels a little broader and more relaxed than the bustle of the opening. Notice how the shift from twos to threes changes your whole body's reaction, even though you haven't been told anything about it.Section 3: Everybody Stands Up
In the middle the music slows to half the opening speed, and I mark it Andante maestoso, still in 3/4. Here the bustle falls away and a broad, noble melody takes over, the one you should keep in your ear for the rest of the movement. In 1921 I adapted this tune as a hymn tune called "Thaxted", which is used for "I Vow to Thee, My Country". Imogen Holst felt that this association compromised the movement, so you may want to hear it first as part of Jupiter before you think of it as a hymn.Section 4: The Party Comes Back, With Friends
After the slow middle, the quick opening music returns, and it feels like stepping back into the room where the celebration never stopped. The grand tune from the middle also comes back, so the playful mood and the noble mood end up sharing the same space. Then the movement closes on a single chord marked triple forte, which is as loud as I could ask for. That final chord is the one place where I let the whole orchestra say, all at once, that it's very glad to be here.Your Turn at the Party
Now I invite you to experience Jupiter for yourself, so go ahead and press play. Let the sound wash over you, and keep in mind what we've talked about: the quick playful opening, the lilting second theme, the grand slow tune, and the return. I always hoped people would hear the movements as part of the whole suite, so if you enjoy this one, I'd be glad if you went on to hear the rest. I hope you find the journey through my Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity as thrilling as I did when I wrote it.---
I hope you enjoyed learning about the listen guide to Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, and that the music stays with you for a while. Once the final chord has faded, you may find yourself humming that broad, noble tune from the middle of the movement, which is no small thing for a piece that began so playfully. There is still a lot more to discover in The Planets, because each of the other movements has its own character and its own way of drawing you in. If you'd like to keep exploring, I invite you to click on the links provided and carry on through the rest of the suite.
Best MomentsBackstoryListen Guide 1: I. Mars, the Bringer of WarListen Guide 2: II. Venus, the Bringer of PeaceListen Guide 3: III. Mercury, the Winged MessengerListen Guide 5: V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old AgeListen Guide 6: VI. Uranus, the MagicianListen Guide 7: VII. Neptune, the MysticMore about HolstLearn to recognize it when you hear it