Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was an English composer and teacher, and one of the most distinctive voices in British music of the early twentieth century. Born in Cheltenham, he studied at the Royal College of Music and became a close friend of Vaughan Williams.

His best-known work is the orchestral suite The Planets, but his catalogue also includes choral music, operas, chamber works, songs and pieces influenced by English folk song and Sanskrit literature.

Holst’s music can be austere, mystical, vigorous and sharply rhythmic. He had a remarkable ability to create atmosphere through clear textures, modal harmony and unusual orchestral colour.

The fame of The Planets has sometimes hidden the breadth of his achievement. Holst was not merely a cosmic postcard-maker, but a composer of discipline, imagination and private fire.