(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

The Biography of Gustav Holst


            
             Gustav Holst was born on September 21, 1874 in Cheltenham. His father Adolph, was an accomplished pianist, but neglected his wife Clara and their two children, because he practiced almost every hour of the day. Holst's mother was gentle and sweet, but died when Gustav was only eight years old. As a child, he seemed to appear oversensitive and somewhat miserable because he acted weak, due to his asthma and poor vision. He hated practicing the violin, but he enjoyed playing the piano. His father was determined to make young Gustav a good pianist, but even in his youth, he had trouble with neuritis in his hands, which made long hours of practice very straining.
             Later, his father married one of his students and Gustav was then sent to Cheltenham Grammar School, where he tried his hand at composition. He then spent two months at Oxford learning counterpoint before he applied to the Royal College of Music and other colleges in London. He failed to gain any scholarships, so his father borrowed money to send Gustav the the Royal College of Music to study under Charles Stanford. Stanford found Gustav hardworking, but not at all brilliant and their lessons were often frustrating. On the other hand, Gustav often disagreed with his teacher's opinions, but was always grateful for being able to learn how to become his own critic. In the autumn of 1895, Gustav met Ralph Vaughan Williams. The two quickly became friends and began their lifelong habit of playing sketches of their newest compositions to each other.
             While in college, he became interested in Hindu philosophy and Sanskirt literature. Although he never became fluent, he was able to translate the hymns and put their words to music. By translating these hymns from Sanskirt to English, he opened up an entirely new world for himself. He began to write opera such as Sita in 1899, Cotswold Symphony in 1900, and most famous, Ave Maria, which was his first published piece.


Essays Related to The Biography of Gustav Holst


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question