As our understanding of the cosmos expands, so too must performances of The Planets. At least that’s the logic of Sir Simon Rattle with his second recording of this celebrated seven-movement piece (which stops with Neptune). After an energised (and sometimes brawny) traversal of the solar system known to Holst, Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker press on with Colin Matthews’ “Pluto, The Renewer” and a host of contemporary pieces on similar themes—one of the best being Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho’s grandly alien-sounding “Asteroid 4179 - Toutatis”.
- 2005
- 2019
- 1993
- Spiritato! & Julian Perkins
- Leonard Bernstein & New York Philharmonic
- James Rhodes
- SWR Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Chamber Orchestra & Saint Petersburg RTV Symphony Orchestra
- Jacqueline du Pré, Dame Janet Baker & London Symphony Orchestra
- Philharmonia Orchestra & Sir Simon Rattle