Score Salon:
Steve Allen on Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War

January 13, 2003 at Bad Animals

The "Mars" movement from Holst's 1914 cycle The Planets is the grandfather of all action/adventure music cues used in film scores since the inception of film music. Scored for a massive orchestra, fortified with plenty of bass (bass trombone, double bassoons, two tubas, six timpani, bass clarinet and bass oboe!), featuring a relentless ostinato over which Wagnerian chromaticism slashes and burns, "Mars" is the definitive musical representation of war, conflict, power, and mass destruction.

Its inescapable influence can be heard in the film scores of such composers as John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Basil Poledouris, and Cliff Eidelman. Bernard Herrmann proclaimed The Planets to be the greatest influence on his dramatic film compositions; he conducted a 1970 recording of the work with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.

Steve Allen moderated an evening of discussion on "Mars." Steve has been a professional musician for over 32 years. His compositions cover almost all aspects of music production: TV, film, New Media, albums, and industrials. He has composed, arranged, and conducted orchestral music for the 155 member Montana Symphony Summer Orchestra and has arranged and conducted an album for pianist David Lanz in London.

Steve's commercial clients include Microsoft, Boeing, Chrysler/Jeep, Budwieser, Hewlett/Packard, Philips, Toshiba, AT&T, and Taco Time. Steve is a founding member of the SCA.

Capitol Music Center is the official sponsor of the SCA Monthly Score Salon.

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