The Planets

Three of Bristol’s leading ensembles collaborate for an unforgettable concert in our transformed venue’s opening season, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Gustav Holst’s birth with a performance of one of the most famous of all orchestral works.

The Planets Suite brings to life the character of our galaxy through sound, each movement depicting a planet of our solar system. From the relentless march of war-like Mars to the sweeping and expansive theme that identifies Jupiter, the work ends sublimely with the orchestra accompanied by a wordless chorus of sopranos and altos spaced around the auditorium embracing the audience in the mystical sounds of Neptune.

First performed in Gloucester Cathedral in 1950, Intimations of Immortality by Gerald Finzi is a setting of a poem by William Wordsworth. The words passionately describe a heavenly vision of nature, expressing how the beauty and joy of the natural world can ignite memories of our childhood and make connections to our own souls and lives. Internationally renowned tenor James Gilchrist sings the solo in this rarely-performed masterpiece.

Completing the programme is Earth by TV and film composer Hans Zimmer. This piece is a celebration for choir and orchestra of the beautiful planet we live on. With his trademark sense of scale and drama, the composer perfectly captures the majesty and beauty of our home, as if seen from space.