Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age, in Holst's The Planets
Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age is the fifth of the seven movements of Gustav Holst's orchestral suite The Planets, Op. 32, composed between 1914 and 1917. Lasting about nine minutes, it moves from a slow, clock-like oscillation of chords through a heavy processional march to a crashing climax with bells, then dissolves into calm acceptance. Holst's daughter Imogen reported that it was the movement he loved most.
Contents
The Planets and astrology
Holst became interested in astrology around 1913, partly through the writer Clifford Bax, and read the works of the British astrologer Alan Leo. The Planets is therefore not a description of the astronomical planets but a series of character portraits based on their astrological meanings (see Saturn in astrology and, for the astrological "age" of Saturn, the Saturn return). The Earth is absent, and Pluto, discovered in 1930, was never added by Holst; in 2000 the composer Colin Matthews wrote Pluto, the Renewer as an optional epilogue.
| Movement | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mars, the Bringer of War |
| 2 | Venus, the Bringer of Peace |
| 3 | Mercury, the Winged Messenger |
| 4 | Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity |
| 5 | Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age |
| 6 | Uranus, the Magician |
| 7 | Neptune, the Mystic |
The order follows neither distance from the Sun nor mythology but a dramatic arc. Placed after the exuberant Jupiter, Saturn opens the suite's final, introspective section, leading to the otherworldly Uranus and the fading female chorus of Neptune.
How the music is built
The ticking opening
Saturn begins softly with a slow alternation of two chords in flutes and harps, a gentle pendulum that suggests the ticking of a clock or the breathing of an old man. Beneath it, the double basses introduce a low, slow line. The harmony is static and ambiguous, avoiding a clear key, so that time itself seems suspended.
The processional
Out of this stillness grows a solemn theme in the trombones and lower brass, then a march-like procession that gains weight and speed. The texture thickens, the rhythm becomes insistent, and the music builds towards a powerful climax in which bells clang over the full orchestra. Many listeners hear in this passage the terror of decline and death, the approach of something inexorable.
Acceptance
After the climax the tension drains away. The pendulum figure returns, transformed, and the movement ends in serenity, on soft, luminous chords. Holst's old age is not only decay but also wisdom and peace, a transformation that echoes the double image of Saturn in Western tradition: the god of the Golden Age and the planet of melancholy.
Why it was Holst's favorite
Imogen Holst wrote that her father considered Saturn the best movement of the suite. Its craftsmanship is subtle: almost the entire piece grows from a few elements (the two-chord oscillation, the bass line, the brass theme), and its orchestration, with harps, bells and low brass, creates colors unlike anything else in the work. Unlike Mars or Jupiter, it has no memorable tune to hum, which explains why it is less famous; but it is often cited by conductors and critics as the emotional core of The Planets.
Reception and legacy
The first performance, organized privately in 1918 and conducted by the young Adrian Boult, was a success, and The Planets quickly became Holst's most popular work, somewhat to his annoyance. Holst himself conducted it in two recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra in the 1920s. The suite's influence on film music is well known, Mars in particular; Saturn has had a quieter legacy, appreciated for its depiction of time passing. It is one of the best-known musical portraits of the planet, alongside very different works covered elsewhere on this site, such as Brassens's song "Saturne".
Listening tips
- Listen to the opening twice: notice how the two chords never resolve, and how the double bass line sinks lower.
- Follow the bells at the climax; they are the moment of maximum tension.
- Compare Saturn with Jupiter, just before it: the contrast between abundance and old age is deliberate.
- Try a recording conducted by Adrian Boult, who premiered the work and recorded it several times.
FAQ
What is Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age?
It is the fifth movement of Gustav Holst's orchestral suite The Planets (1914–1917), a portrait of old age inspired by the astrological meaning of Saturn. It lasts about nine minutes.
Why is Saturn called the Bringer of Old Age?
In astrology and in Renaissance tradition, Saturn, the slowest of the planets visible to the naked eye (it takes 29.5 years to circle the Sun, see Saturn's orbit), was associated with time, old age, limits and melancholy. Holst took these associations as the theme of the movement.
Was Saturn Holst's favorite movement?
According to his daughter Imogen Holst, yes. He considered it the finest movement of the suite.
Why is there no Earth or Pluto in The Planets?
The suite is based on astrology, which deals with the planets as seen from Earth, so Earth has no character of its own. Pluto had not yet been discovered when Holst wrote the work.
Sources
- Imogen Holst, Gustav Holst: A Biography, Oxford University Press, 1938
- Michael Short, Gustav Holst: The Man and His Music, Oxford University Press, 1990
- Gustav Holst, The Planets, Op. 32, full score
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Gustav Holst"