Gustav Holst Blue Plaque

Kensington and Chelsea Erected 2004

Inscription

Gustav Holst 1874-1934 composer wrote The Planets and taught here

About This Blue Plaque

Gustav Holst was a renowned English composer, arranger and teacher, best known for his orchestral suite “The Planets”. Born in 1874 in Cheltenham, Holst began playing piano and violin at an early age. He studied composition at the Royal College of Music in London.

Holst’s most celebrated work, “The Planets”, was composed between 1914-1916. Each movement of the suite is named after a planet of the solar system and its astrological character. The powerful first movement “Mars, the Bringer of War” has been widely used in popular culture. Other famous pieces by Holst include “St Paul’s Suite”, “The Hymn of Jesus”, and the opera “Savitri”.

From 1905 until his death, Holst served as Director of Music at St Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, London, where he taught and composed many of his works. He was a dedicated and innovative teacher who inspired countless young musicians. Holst also held teaching positions at Morley College and the Royal College of Music.

Throughout his life, Holst drew inspiration from English folk music, Hindu spiritualism, and astrology. He was a close friend of fellow composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. After a lifetime of composing and teaching, Holst died in 1934 in London at the age of 59. His music remains widely performed and celebrated for its unique blend of mysticism, grandeur and emotional expression.