Conceived in conjunction with a summer 2012 installation at London’s Science Museum, the Philharmonia’s ‘Universe of Sound Holst The Planets’ is now available as a Blu-ray Disc of information and commentary surrounding a studio performance of the work filmed at Watford’s Colosseum. Overlaying the performance can be commentaries by Esa-Pekka Salonen and Richard Slaney or by principal members of the orchestra. Appendices include analysis of each movement, with music score examples, by the Philharmonia’s Paul Richmond; an interview with composer Joby Talbot, who wrote a companion sequel to The Planets called Worlds, Stars, Systems, Infinity; and some items about the London exhibition.

The centrepiece of all this is a tautly rehearsed, unromantic, ‘straight’ performance of the piece under Salonen which will appeal to those who like Holst’s own ‘original’ recordings – especially the sparky acoustic one – more than less ‘modern’ readings under Boult, Sargent and A and C Davis. Salonen manages to locate the work comfortably next to its European contemporaries (his voiceovers draw parallels with Sibelius’s Kullervo and Finlandia) without the interventionist stylistic colouring of the Karajan extravaganzas or the Hollywood driving of some of the American readings. Do choose the option during ‘Mars’ of keeping Salonen’s photo up in the left hand corner together with his commentary on how to beat what he thinks may be the longest symphonic movement in 5/4.

A deal of information is contained here and the release would be invaluable to younger students of the score or those planning to conduct it for the first time. The commentary from the orchestra members could have been more tightly sifted. Real gems of information about the piece and playing it as an ensemble fly by quickly and get lost in a sea of essentially once-only anecdotage. Filming and recording of the performance are both state-of-the-art.