Gustav Holst - The Planets - Mars, the Bringer of War

[Roadman1000]

Sounds nothing like Star Wars, the instrumental has nothing to do with Star Wars because Star Wars has a more louder and joyous symphony.

[Jwk1706]

@Roadman1000 Just the imperial march is based on this

[ghostlat]

@Roadman1000 Actually, John Williams borrowed quite liberally from this.  Especially from the last 6:50-7:20.

[bssnplayer]

@Roadman1000 John Williams based Star Wars on this. He stole a lot of thematic material from this music.

[valexus007]

so true!

[DanielIVify]

By the way people, its supposed to sound like star wars...George Lucas told John Williams to use this song as the basis for much of the music of star wars!

[ausdigaty]

step 1 dowse earty in napalm, step 2 press play, step 3 strike match, step 4 ENJOY!

[Recrafting]

it sounds like star wars cuz star wars is that awesome.

[irisheneko]

@Recrafting Nah man, Star Wars sounds like this, 'cause this is that awesome :)

[minous813]

Every great conqueror's heart beat in 5.

[greghmn]

@minous813 True. I know mine does! Most intros to songs I write are at least partly in 5/4 or 5/8. 4 and 3 get really boring after a while :)

[Erikannen]

The only thing I can imagine at 4:24 is an atomic weapon being detonated. "Awesome" is really an appropriate word for this piece (and "terrifying").

[pureawesomeness2012]

everytime i hear this, i feel like i must do something epic. 

[Trueffel16]

maybe he ment with the song Mars the God of war and not something with space and science fiction

[J0a0Francisc0]

Black Sabbath

[hermanoiraki]

masterpiece

[SarothCyngus]

Given that this song was written (1921) well before Star Wars, (1970) I'd say there's a difference. -_-

[Rkmajora]

this doesn't really even sound much like Star Wars. it just takes a little from a couple parts

[CoreGamer44]

Must...play it...LOUDER!!!!

[ilovechalee]

Gustav Holst was a genious. I love The Plan and First Suite in Eb.

I play the Bb Clarinet for these pieces, Solo clarinet for First Suite and 1st Chair in Mars. My school may be also doing Jupiter.

[MrKevinSchram]

@ilovechalee A "genious" eh?

[ilovechalee]

@MrKevinSchram

A musical genious

[lervik88]

of some reason it reminds me a little of this super mario song anyone else agree?

"watch?v=0YxoDsAfL0M"

[USmarinePunk]

I feel like a douche for saying this but as a veteran I think the rest of the world heard this song and figured this was the US National Anthem.

[MrMegaHans]

@USmarinePunk i feel rebecca black's friday would be more appropriate :)

[pureawesomeness2012]

this should play when an asteroid is going to hit the earth

[theREALilluminaughty]

now we know where george lucas got it! lol

[NeuralKnight]

@theREALilluminaughty you know john williams did the music for the star wars films, right?... george lucas proabably approved john williams' score beforehand, but john williams would be the one to blame for the star wars soundtrack sounding exactly this- (probably) -- I suppose I can't say I know for sure though...

[1815ish]

Outstanding!

[IvorySopranoBrass]

4:14 - 4:30

'Nuff said.

[LeftyChipper]

4:24...that was my alarm this morning...It was so epic.

[mmoynan]

@LeftyChipper LOL! 4:27 is my ring tone. Every time I receive a phone call I feel like the entire world is resting on my shoulders, and that for us to survive I must pick up the phone call.

[meg5730]

If ever humans reach Mars, they better play a recording of this.....

[durhay]

driving music for the Nissan Stanza

[bchimself]

John Williams is a hack.

[Ravalin]

*puts on Henchmen costume to this music*

[MasterOfTrumpets42]

HA! And people thought metal was hardcore and epic. Peace, people!

[emmaandtoriful]

If anyone ever takes over the world, this should be their soundtrack

[JonathanNeufeld]

@emmaandtoriful Who cares about taking over the world, any psycho can do that. It takes a real badass to plant a flag on Mars.

[hybernationstudios]

Dunnuhnuhnuh duh duhnuhnuhnuh!!

[JSamurai79]

Holst was one of the inspirations that Williams drew from musically when he was writing the score for Star Wars way back in the 70's. If people are hating on it, that's just sad that they're uninformed and dont bother to look the history of things. Excellent tune, very epically constructed and as always timeless.

[XanthusPictures]

This + Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" + Verdi's "Requiem" = The Ultimate Proto-Metal Collection

[Aaron7075]

Think people, this song was made in the 19th century Star Wars was made in the 20th century

[pvsEuph16]

@Aaron7075 umm no, you're kinda off, this was composed in 1914, which is the early 20th century, whereas star wars was in the late 20th century

[Badkarma333]

@Aaron7075 Actually he wrote it just before WWI, around 1914 I think.

[Nobodyknowsme021]

Magnificent music.

[StealthKiller123]

King Crimson does a really cool prog rock rendition of this.

[NoahMAngott]

I LOVE COL LEGNO STRINGS. And I'm a percussionist, I shouldn't even know what that is.

[Elito48]

i never realized how much the some of the music in apocalypse now sounds like this song

[Dman761]

This sounds like the Airship theme from Super Mario Bros 3.

[petrolhead1845598]

this is some hardcore shit

[mostaryankidyouknow]

Earliest instance of Metal music.

[LeonidasGandalla]

this song it's from 1916 and was used for the movie Gladiator (and many many others), mabbe thats why some ignorants believe its a rip off other songs

[clinthori]

now you know where is from john williams

[macleod300]

Love how people hate on this and say it sounds like star wars...star wars...SOUNDS LIKE THIS!

[Resisturgetocomment]

@macleod300 I like it, but there's virtually no denying it sounds like Star Wars. Take it as a compliment, even though this was much earlier than John Williams...

[synistralpsyche]

@Resisturgetocomment Perhaps it does sound like Star Wars, but run a search on Star TREK VI's opening theme, and you will hear a composition directly inspired by this piece in a SciFi context.

[Mawbellog]

@macleod300 Actually I think John Williams based one of his pieces in the Star Wars movies on this. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that music that plays during the asteroid field scene uses some of the parts of this song.

[pureawesomeness2012]

@Mawbellog and when the star destroyer chases the tantive 4 in the opening scene of new hope... EPIC!

[irisheneko]

@macleod300 Couldn't put it better myself :>

[Rudejack007]

Thumbs up if Venture Bros brought you here XX

[ThatKrookedVulture]

4:30 That's what inspired the riff for Black Sabbath!!!

[pinklola1997]

i go to st pauls girls. holst is our composer/ he wrote this and all of the planets in my school. and I'm proud of that. :)

[lewars1912]

@pinklola1997 He became director of music at St Paul's in 1905. Is he still there? (:o)

[Animemarcher4]

@lewars1912 Its 2012. He's dead. Besides he died in 1934, 78 years ago.

[lewars1912]

@Animemarcher4 (:o)

[ThatKrookedVulture]

@pinklola1997 OMG that's fucking awesome! :D

[lewars1912]

The best version I've ever heard of this is Steinberg's with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Both the "scariest" and most dramatic.

[gr8skpz]

DSO and Antal Dorati do it better

[gr8skpz]

Epic!!



[acidbath32]

Check out Ramses Bringer of War by Nile, great song that uses a theme in this

[GGbreizh]

I prefer John Williams version at the end, it is much slower, and more frightening.

[lewars1912]

@GGbreizh "John Williams's version"? Did he conduct this?

[GGbreizh]

@lewars1912 He recorded it with the Boston Pops.

[ControllerOfMinds]

From what I gather this is the main inspiration, or reason, for the riffs in Black Sabbath's "Black Sabbath" - so similar

[rpistus]

@wks1978 Further more it is your loss that you don''t know John Wiliams' music, but please don't say incorrect things about someone and something you're not familiar with.

[rpistus]

@wks1978 Your comment shows clearly that you know nothing about John Williams nor his music. His versatility is legendary as is his orchestrations which is only aided by others like the late Herbert W. Spencer or Conrad Pope and John Neufeld. He himself does the primary orchestrations and because of the short amount of time he has he uses orchestrators who follow his instructions.

[T3hJones]

I didn't know that the opening riff in the song black sabbath came from this song, at 4:30 you can hear that they are pretty close!

[rpistus]

By the way, two of my fellow hungarian composers, Bartók and Kodály also used hungarian folkmusic and incorporated them into their music. And that makes them original nonetheless.

[rpistus]

@2011Somalia I agree with you. Beethoven admired Bach and Danny Elfman admires Prokofjev and the list goes on. But such great composers as John Williams, whom I have the privilage of knowing personally,who are true masters have a great deal of originality beside their influences of composers before them.

[rpistus]

And one more thing: I prefer the music of Star Wars any day of the week. Although this does not mean that I don't enjoy this one too.

[2011Somalia]

@rpistus it's not a big deal, though. Composers borrow from each other alllll the time. Even if Williams sampled from Holst, Holst was big on taking folk melodies and putting them in his compositions.

[wks1978]

@rpistus HAHAHAHHAHA

[rpistus]

I personally don't hear much of Star Wars in this. John Williams is much more original than to steal a large piece of music from another composer. However I do hear a large quantity of Hans Zimmer's Gladiator, especially from the beginning when the romans battle the german barbarians. Zimmer took almost exact matches of music from this piece. So please don't attack Mr. Williams, he's not the ephigon you seek.

[wks1978]

@rpistus John Williams simply writes the same piece of music for every film he composes for. Then gets somebody else to orchestrate it for him.

[gxtmfa]

@wks1978 yeah the theme to "The Cowboy and the Girl" is just like the Imperial March and the Battle on Endor.

[ZeroHex5412]

Am I crazy or do I hear slight references to First Suite?

[jimmyhayers]

I want to don a Spartan battlesuit, get my dropship ready and then head into battle on a war-torn planet with some seasoned, wise, black guy tells us "Grab onto your asses we're goin' in hot" and then shoot loads of stuff. Instead I think I'll just look around on the internet.

[doom696mented]

Star Wars

[MaridAudranBudayeen]

@doctorbasslayer Wow, you just watched a TV show on the history of metal and found that out, huh? I thought that was basic knowledge.

[FinaleGoofups]

That being said, the rhythm in the piece you're thinking of is different with the tuplet being on the 2nd beat instead of the first, but they both feature the horns blasting the same chord in a rhythmic fashion. John Williams is rarely regarded as extremely original in his music. Most film scores are not very original, but he has a lot more Wagner in him. The intro to Star Trek VI sounds more similar to me. Regardless, it's poor form to talk about classical music in terms of movie soundtracks.

[pork1123]

THE DARK LORD HAS RETURNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[acdcheaven]

I Take the mrs to the smash room listening to this !!!!!!

Oral/Anal the whole fuckin 9 yds,Gaggin 4 it !!!!!!!!!

In The Beginning Back In 1955,Man Didn't Know About A Rock N Roll Show,And All That Jive!

Oh yes !

[TheAPPC]

This . . . . is epic!

[lovingSkipper1]

@TheAPPC I know, right!? I love it. It's a lot better than newer-day stuff, in my opinion, of course. ;)

[AdmiralCNorton]

A Miracle Of The Machine...

[thewipedout]

played this in 1974 in high school band at state contest . will never forget this piece. also done by zubin metta

[makutateridax200]

@doctorbasslayer sounds more like a Klingon theme to me

[makutateridax200]

@makutateridax200 a klingon theme and the death star theme fused into one weird song plus some jaws theme in it too yet this was from 1800s

[FinaleGoofups]

@makutateridax200 Star Trek VI introduction... it almost has the same primary rhythm.

[makutateridax200]

@FinaleGoofups ah yes that is how this piece starts but you have to admit the ending sounds like star wars ep 4 death star battle so it is kinda like both

[FinaleGoofups]

@makutateridax200 No, Star Wars sounds like this, not the other way around. That's like saying Aerosmith sounds like Guns and Roses.

[houndsmaster34]

i love this i played it in my all star county concert tonight

[GranCanRogman]

Yeah, heavy Metal of the past!

[TweedProductions]

Forever synonymous with Outpost.

[darksword793]

Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there.

[Chessmanexe]

Nope, nope, outpost. 

[Chessmanexe]

This reminds me of that game, what was it called...it's gonna bug me now

[ultimafrost]

@Chessmanexe return fire

[ball908765]

@Chessmanexe Darkspace also used this.

[SgtDonuts]

@CannoliPrincess25 Mars and the other planets were composed in 1917, way before gladiator or star wars or anything else like that.....

[MrBeethovens9]

Check out dies irae Requiem by Karl Jenkins (armedmanfilm).

[TheShadwofChaos]

This makes me want to scream KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!!!!

[Yilmael]

Man I love the internet. It's amazing how many people haven't heard of Google. There's no reason to be making hilarious comments for us to rip apart if you just check to make sure what you're about to say has at least a kernel of truth to it.

[Nobodyknowsme021]

I wonder what it would be like if they did use this piece in Star Wars.

[Wiman445]

Looked through the comments and there are alot of ignorant comments on how this piece and composer ripped off other songs but holst did not rip off any song all the songs u say holst ripped off of was more than likely written after he died. The reason it may sound familiar to other songs is because many composers are inspired by holst. Thumbs up so everyone can see and it doesnt happen again.

[acidbath32]

@Wiman445 this is correct. and there werent any copyright laws back in those days which is why you hear neoclassical that sounds similiar to holst, bach, mozart, stravinsky and many others in modern neoclassical inspired music

[WhentheworldendsWWYD]

@Wiman445 I know right? Everyone i play this to says that, and then i tell them it was composed way before any of the si-fi movies came into existence.

[castravet]

i love it

[AlexGalaxy13]

Bowser's Airship...anyone?

[ShadowMKII]

@AlexGalaxy13 YES!!!! Thank you that someone else thought the same! lol

Symphony X - Divine Wings of Tragedy too!... everyone's march could be thought to be a derivative of this guy... but if it's music then it is music!

[pvsEuph16]

you gotta love that repetitive euph solo! this was my first treble clef euphonium piece! my mistake "tenor tuba"!

[apollo13jim]

Written in 5/4 time. I played this in 9th grade with my high school band.. Tremendous song.

[ren21uu]

Don't know why, but to me this gives me the feeling of Jupiter .

[vicmomma]

Hmm I think this movie is broke

[BaneSlayersSis]

Doesnt this remind you of Star Wars?

[jigsawzoubir]

@BaneSlayersSis absolutely ! 

[thecpsuperman]

@BaneSlayersSis Star Wars brought me here!

[Zeppolino100]

There are quite a few divisive and often immature comments posted for this piece, which is most unfortunate. The concentration should be upon this music itself, not influences in either direction. That said, the conclusion can only be that this is a magnificent composition that clearly evokes the feeling of the beating of war drums that spurs human on to the kind of murderous destruction that goes against the better angels of our nature. Inspired performance by the Chicago Symphony as well.

[tydogboy0906]

Triplet two three four and five, triplet two three four and five....

[Gakeon143]

@allycat545 You kiddin? This is only worthy of pep band!

[punky0goth]

58 people have NO taste!

[bigdog8019]

i can play this!

[allycat545]

i'm playing this in band IT'S FUCKING HARD!!!

[InuYashafanboyee]

@allycat545 You lucky bastard, we only got to play the small excerpt from "The Planets" in 8th grade.

But then we played First Suite in E flat this year, so it's all good.

[ANGER7violetflame]

Oh, I love this one!

[ChibiInuyasha500]

whoever disliked this is fricken mental...come on people how can you hate this!?!?

[iamslama]

@ChibiInuyasha500 well those punks at my middle school think anything but rap and pop is retarded so...yeap

[Tiffawesomeness]

SOOOOO many chills!!! This song is incredible. And I have great memories of playing it during band in high school!

[cbrme97]

@Tiffawesomeness i would kill to play this! i play trumpet and it would be freaking awesome to play this!

[Tiffawesomeness]

@cbrme97 It was a lot of fun! You can download the sheet music online!

[marshgastech]

I'm gonna play this while I do my wife from behind tonite

[HarryBillyBobGeorge]

Sounds like the beginning of Star Wars IV a little.

[MrEvelynOakleigh]

@HarryBillyBobGeorge

That is because Star Wars sort of stole this music. Jaws also did this with a beginning of a classical piece.

[TheStevenOoi]

@MrEvelynOakleigh its not actually steal, musicians call it 'borrow', and that's how music evolves

[kylestyyle987]

@TheStevenOoi it is stealing if they don't give the original writer credit

[TheStevenOoi]

@kylestyyle987 i think any work will become public property after some 60 or 70 years i forgot. correct me if i'm wrong

[ClockworkRockStar]

@TheStevenOoi 70.

[NickLukefahr]

@TheStevenOoi It's 70, but some works after 1920-something have even longer copyrights

[Z0inkski]

now ive heard this, lets go fucking invade something!

[DolphinDivin101]

@Z0inkski RE: Let's go fuck up Russia!

[Matchmad]

@Z0inkski Like the Death Star!

[Olsteradamus]

I listened to this at the dinner table with my father, he didn't impose it on me in any way but simply listened to The Planets often at family dinners. Forever more whenever I eat spaghetti I will anticipate the bringer of war.. and my children should I have them will anticipate the glory of the planets.

[dbeiswenger]

this song is boneriffic.

[ZachVMNTX1]

@doctorbasslayer Is anyone really suprised after hearing this?

[mabz9]

star wars totally ripped off this. =P

[lildrummer1987]

THE MOST EPIC SONG EVER!



[PeeJayZephyr]

People need to learn the difference between "ripped off" and "inspired by". John Williams never made any secret of using Holst for inspiration, and frankly if people look into Holst and more classical music that way, it can only be a good thing.

[kategirl71]

stars wars ripped this off at 4:24 !!!

[WhoHasThisUsername1]

@kategirl71 Holst was before Star Wars 

[ShadowSpartan9x]

@WhoHasThisUsername1 either way sounds like star wars.

[TheAchillesfury]

HOLST RULES!!!!!!!!!! zimmer couldn't even wax his baton.... served

[ethanyounggg]

@EspressoFan4Life Can you read? if so you should find a book about Holst, read it, then you'll find that Holst was around creating masterpieces long before Zimmer was even alive.

[Badtouchtrio28]

Musical Orgasim 

[JustWaIkAway]

what is this, that stands before me?

[audionautix]

@EspressoFan4Life Holst didn't steal from Zimmer because Holst composed this in 1917.

[audionautix]

Holst ripped off Hans Zimmer? That would have been a neat trick since Holst composed "The Planets" in 1917. Maybe he had a time machine? No actually Steven Speilberg asked John Williams to re-record "The Planets" for Star Wars, but Williams said, why don't you let me go home and come up with something similar. Hanz Zimmer openly admits lifting from Holst. Nothing wrong with that.

[edoardomanzireloaded]

@audionautix Steven Spielberg? Star Wars was directed by George Lucas.

[mw2god1234]

@audionautix Definitely. There's no way you could listen to the Star Wars imperial march and not be reminded of mars. Especialy trombones in the beginning.

[DjPyro44]

@audionautix

Side Comment:

You know, i was thinking. It'd be one hell of a trip if you were to listen to The Planets Suite as you time travel...

[Synsacrus]

It's not "ripped-off" or "copied". It's quoted and emulated. Both techniques are legitimate and well known tools of movie composition. Considering the vast amount of classical repertoire that exists currently, I bet no one could name one movie composer who hasn't quoted or emulated a previous composer.

[LinkSkywalker42]

@drybowserman9091 He means those guys ripped off Holst.

[peppersax]

@CannoliPrincess25 Ha Ha Funny. Let's see. Gustav Holtz born 1874 and Hans Zimmer born 1957..................Yep, you're right LoL

[FatMancubus]

Iron Maiden's 2010 Intro!