Holst: Jupiter

I am a fan of all of Holst's planet series, but nothing speaks to me like Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity.

Anyone who's read my blog for any period of time knows I like Jupiter in all his aspects: King, Bringer of Jollity and plenty, Expander of boundaries and limits.

The music is so upbeat! It fills one with joy, with granduer, with expansion, at least in the first movement.

Then it quiets, but even it's quiet is joyous, and then it comes back in grand and sweeping, like a mountain vista in New Zealand. One can almost see a procession of gifts and brightly colored courtiers coming to pay homage to the king on the day of his coronation, or the day of his victory. A stately procession follows a flurry of preparation.

Just when you think the grandeur of the second movement will come to it's end, the small trilling notes of fairies and servants and swirling dance comes back in, and then Jupiter is there, proclaiming his good will and beneficence to all.

It makes me happy, puts a smile on my face. I want to dance and sing with the servants around the throne, jolly and happy in the court of the king. The two movements come together, the uproarious beginning, the trilling second movement, combine into a theme of kingship as the king leads his courtiers to the crescendo, and the end of the piece.

[Writing Prompt: October 5
Eye of the beholder
Describe what it feels like to hear a beautiful piece of music
or see a stunning piece of art.]

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