| London, Monday 16 February – London Symphony Orchestra is proud to announce an ambitious multi‑platform celebration of Gustav Holst’s The Planets, beginning March 2026 with the release of a new album on LSO Live pairing Holst’s astrological suite with Arnold Bax’s Tintagel. This major undertaking will unfold across 2026–27, bringing digital, educational, and live experiences to audiences in the UK and beyond. To bring the wonders of space to life, the LSO will collaborate with British astronaut Tim Peake, who will create exclusive educational content and appear across the campaign’s early phases. |
| INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION: LSO DISCOVERY LEARNING RESOURCES Coinciding with the album release, LSO Discovery unveils a vibrant new suite of creative learning resources that invite teachers and young people to journey through Holst’s cosmos. These imaginative materials open the door to The Planets in engaging and accessible ways—sparking curiosity, encouraging classroom creativity, and empowering students and teachers to explore the vast sound‑world of symphonic music. Explore the resources |
| ABOUT THE ALBUM On this album, the London Symphony Orchestra and Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano capture two British masterworks that continue to astonish and inspire. Journey through the cosmos with Gustav Holst’s beloved Planets suite. From the relentless energy of Mars, the Bringer of War to the jubilant optimism of Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, the work remains one of the most visionary creations of the 20th century. The voyage concludes in mystery with Neptune, the Mystic, featuring the voices of Tenebrae in a wordless, otherworldly chorus. Arnold Bax’s Tintagel closes the album with a sweeping portrait of Cornwall’s rugged coastline. Inspired by a visit to the legendary castle in 1917, Bax’s symphonic poem evokes windswept cliffs, ancient history and mythology in music that surges like the sea itself. |
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