Gustav Holst (born September 21, 1874, died May 25, 1934) was a British composer who became fascinated with astrology in 1913. In the spring of 1914, prophetically before the outbreak of World War I that summer, Holst composed the first of seven pieces for his orchestral suite The Planets– “Mars, the Bringer of War”. In …
“Footsteps in the Snow” (Claude Debussy)Written by French composer Claude Debussy on December 27, 1909, this piano prelude is perhaps the quintessential piece of classical music concerning winter (alongside Franz Schubert’s Winterreise.) The slow, soft tones move from D minor to E minor to F minor–a melancholy, moody tune. “Heart of the North” (Basil Kirchin)Where …
