Programme:

Camille Saint-Saens - Carnival of the Animals

Gustav Holst - The Planets

Robert Hunter & Zoe Mather, piano

Holst’s original signed piano duet version of The Planets was discovered in a leather bound volume in a cupboard at St Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith by pianist John York, when he was Director of Music. John was also Robert Hunter‘s piano teacher at the Guildhall School of Music.

Holst was the school’s first Director of Music from 1905 until his death in 1934. While at the school he composed The Planets which was first performed in 1918 at the Queens Hall in its orchestral and choral version.

The ever popular Carnival of the Animals (with animals such as the famous Swan, and pianists!) is performed in an arrangement by Lucien Garban.