Probably the most famous
of the movements, "Mars: Bringer of War" immediately establishes its aggressive
character through a low, menacing melody.
An anxiously repeating pattern
in 5/4 time, played on a single note in the strings, evokes the martial
rhythm of field drums -- the strings use the technique known as col
legno battuto ("tapping with the wood") here to produce a percussive
effect.
This ostinato rhythm
disappears and resurfaces as the music moves through several tableaux,
describing a triumphal march, the chaotic heat of battle, the rage of bloodshed.
Generous use of brass instruments amplifies the militaristic tone, with
high trumpet fanfares rising above exclamations from the lower brass.
At the end, the piece dissolves
into a tumult of brass and percussion playing blunt, dissonant slabs of
sound counterpointed by strings.
Planet of dust and fury
As in music, so in life.
The ferocious and occasionally violent character of Holst’s music is a
worthy sonic match for the violence of the dust storms of Mars, which can
sometimes envelop the entire planet.
Due to the low atmospheric
pressure, the wind must be quite strong -- 30 meters per second [67 miles
per hour] is a commonly accepted minimum -- to raise dust.
Mars' rage is not limited
to the atmosphere. Signs of former fury abound on the planet's pockmarked
surface, which is riddled with lava plains, domes and other mementos of
volcanism.
The northern hemisphere alone
boasts two major volcanic regions, Ilysium and the Tharsis bulge, as well
as Olympus
Mons, the most impressive volcano known.
Malefic, or misunderstood?
In ancient astrology, Mars
was called the "lesser malefic," a negative influence that brought turmoil
and struggle wherever it went. Esoteric symbolism, which Holst plundered
for inspiration when composing The Planets, views Mars in much the
same way.
Today’s astrologer views
Mars as the action planet, with a hand in activities that involve both
creation and destruction. Mars rules several parts of the body, including
the muscular system, the adrenal glands, red blood cells, motor nerves,
head and face, and the external sexual organs.
The planet is the go-getter
in Holst's musical pantheon, the pure, uncomplicated energy that gets things
done, the active principle that must find balance in passive Venus.
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