Holst: The Planets (BBC)

This lavish visualisation of Gustav Holst's orchestral masterpiece The Planets and Colin Matthews' additional movement Pluto, the Renewer features spectacular images which enhance the symbolic meaning attributed to each planet by the composer. Directed by Rhodri Huw, this memorable audio-visual experience enthralled a massive TV audience with a spellbinding blend of images filmed in many locations around the world (including New Mexico, Arizona and Scandinavia), computer graphics, animatronics and a splendidly atmospheric performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

Reviews

"With the BBC NOW musicians playing as if these were their own lives on the line, the passion and commitment was total...it could hardly have been more alive and compelling." (The Guardian)

"As for the performance, this is not a run-of-the-mill Planets. Atherton recreates the score with both subtlety and aplomb, and with the necessary bravura when called for. It is difficult sometimes to pay too careful attention to the music given the sheer overwhelming beauty of the visual images, but the underpinning is very present, and one comes to a whole new appreciation of Holsts masterpiece by having a visual element." (Musicweb International)