It’s been a couple years since I’ve watched/listened to Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) live webcasts.
And when I discovered the DSO was performing The Planets this weekend and had a live webcast, I couldn’t pass up an evening to enjoy amazing music.
This week’s photo features DSO Concertmaster Robyn Bollinger during the second movement, Venus, the Bringer of Peace, of The Planets by Gustav Holst.
About The Planets
Composed between 1914 and 1916 by British music teacher and composer Gustav Holst, The Planets is a seven-movement suite inspired by astrology and horoscopes (rather than astronomy).
The Planets premiered in London, England as a private performance to 250 invited guests at Queen’s Hall on September 28, 1918.
The first public performance of the entire seven-movement suite was November 15, 1920 by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Search online and you’ll find numerous performances of the suite.
When you listen to it, you’ll discover familiar themes from The Planets used in popular music and soundtracks for Star Wars (The Imperial March), Black Sabbath, and more.
In 2018 to mark The Planets 100th anniversary, National Public Radio referred to The Planets as a suite that’s :
been sampled, stolen and cherished by the likes of Frank Zappa, John Williams, Hans Zimmer and any number of prog-rock and metal bands.
About Detroit Symphony Orchestra Live Webcasts
When I checked my blog, I discovered it’s been 10 years since the DSO launched their free live webcasts (in spring 2014).
I started watching their webcasts that year.
The DSO was the first orchestra in the United States with robotic camera technology, which captured closeup views of orchestra members.
For years, before the Covid pandemic, I used to watch/listen to the DSO live webcasts several times a year with my friend Patricia.
We watched in our respective homes 20 miles apart.
And shared our comments and thoughts about the performance online on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. (I left Twitter in late 2022.)
I miss my online chats with Patricia about DSO webcasts.
Last night’s performance by the symphony was wonderful!
For the first time, I watched/listened to it on a TV screen rather than my computer monitor; impressive to see it on a larger screen.
