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Donald Macleod explores the early influences Gustav Holst had upon his daughter Imogen.

Imogen Holst was a significant part of the British classical music scene during the twentieth century. Holst was prominent as a composer, conductor, writer on music, teacher, administrator and artistic director. She also worked as an amanuensis to Benjamin Britten. As the daughter of Gustav Holst, Imogen was raised in an artistic environment, and her early aspirations were to be a dancer. She studied at the Royal College of Music where she won a number of prizes and awards, and developed a passion for British folksong. During World War Two, Holst travelled the UK to support cultural activities, and she established the famous music education centre at Dartington Hall in Devon. There followed an invitation to Aldeburgh where she would support Benjamin Britten for many years in his compositional activities. Holst later became an Artistic Director for the Aldeburgh Festival. She wrote many books, including studies of Britten and her father. In later in life, she was active in cataloguing her father’s compositions and preparing them for publication. Throughout this exceptionally busy career, including establishing the Purcell Singers and giving radio interviews, Imogen Holst continued to compose and wrote many works from choral pieces and folksong arrangements, to concertos and string quartets. Her considerable output as a composer is only just beginning to be appreciated, and throughout this series we also hear archive recordings of Holst in interview.

From an early age Imogen Holst showed musical talent, which was encouraged by her father Gustav. Holst received private musical training, and would eventually study at the Royal College of Music with eminent teachers such as George Dyson, Gordon Jacob and Kathleen Long. Holst had originally wanted to be a dancer, but it was on health grounds that this training was sadly stopped. It was also due to issues relating to her health, that a career as a concert pianist was also cut short. However, Holst’s time studying in London at the conservatoire was used well, not only getting involved as a performer, composer and conductor, but Holst also became greatly involved with the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Folk music and dance would remain an interest for Holst for the rest of her life

Persephone (excerpt)
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Concert Orchestra
Alice Farnham, conductor

Agnus Dei (Mass in A minor)
The Pembroke College Girls’ Choir
The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College, Cambridge
Anna Lapwood, conductor

Allegro assai
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Concert Orchestra
Alice Farnham, conductor

Theme and Variations
Duncan Honeybourne, piano

String Quartet (Phantasy)
Simon Hewitt Jones, violin
David Worswick, violin
Ton Hankey, viola
Oliver Coates, cello

Persephone
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Concert Orchestra
Alice Farnham, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock