Gustav Holst

Gustavus Theodore von Holst (September 21, 1874 – May 25, 1934) was a English composer with Latvian, Swedish, and Spanish roots. He dropped the 'von' from his name during World War I for fear of being identified as German,

Gustavus Theodore von Holst (September 21, 1874 – May 25, 1934) was a English composer with Latvian, Swedish, and Spanish roots. He dropped the 'von' from his name during World War I for fear of being identified as German, in the same way as the royal house was renamed the House of Windsor in 1917.

Born in Cheltenham, where he was educated at Pate's Grammar School, he went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London. His best-known work is probably his orchestral suite The Planets, completed in 1916, although the composer himself did not count it as one of his best creations and later often complained that other works were completely eclipsed by it. The Planets (1914–1916) was partly inspired by meditations on his own horoscope/natal chart and dealt with the "seven influences of destiny and constituents of our spirit." Holst was especially influenced by a 19th-century astrologer called Raphael, whose book concerning the planets' role in world affairs led Holst to develop the grand vision of the planets that made The Planets suite such an enduring success.