The IU Jacobs School of Music Concert Orchestra will perform “The Planets – An HD Odyssey” at 8 p.m., April 8, in the IU Auditorium, in honor of the 2024 solar eclipse.
Written by English composer Gustav Holst from 1914 to 1916, “The Planets” is a seven-movement orchestral suite. Intended to be “astrological rather than astronomical,” each movement is meant to convey each planet’s astrological character, as well as the emotions associated with the influence of each planet on the human psyche.
“The Planets” final suite was comprised of “i. Mars, the Bringer of War,” “ii. Venus, the Bringer of Peace,” “iii. Mercury, the Winged Messenger,” “iv. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” “v. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age,” “vi. Uranus, the Magician” and “vii. Neptune, the Mystic.” It premiered Sept. 29, 1918, in London’s Queen’s Hall.
“The HD Odyssey” series, created by filmmaker Duncan Copp, is a trilogy featuring high-definition images of modern space exploration, our solar system and other astronomical wonders, such as distant galaxies and nebulae. The first part of Copp’s trilogy, created in 2010, is intended to illustrate Holst’s cosmic composition. The film will be played to accompany the Jacobs School of Music Concert Orchestra’s performance.
The show will be conducted by Jacobs School of Music’s Jeffery Meyer and features special guest Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color in America to travel to space. The concert will also feature the winner of the Jacobs School of Music Violin Concerto Competition, performing composer Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto.
Tickets, starting at $10 for IU students and $15 for the general public, are available for purchase on the IU Auditorium website.
