The Planets, by English composer Gustav Holst, has captivated audiences since its premier in 1920. An inquiry into the musical movements popular in the early Twentieth Century and how they influenced Holst’s style will allow us to better understand why The Planets has obtained lasting fame. The Nineteenth-Century Romantic movement’s emphasis on conveying emotion influenced Holst’s compositional style. Holst was also inspired by the Modernist movement, which encouraged composers to abandon form in order to better express themselves through their music. Holst’s Romantic and Modernistic tendencies, along with his passion for folk music moved him to write music that was passionate, complex, and beautiful. Ultimately, The Planets gained its status
