The Planets: Out of Darkness – Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral has launched a new film showcasing Gustav Holst’s The Planets to celebrate the composer’s 150th anniversary.

The Planets: Out of the Darkness – Salisbury Cathedral

The work features Salisbury Cathedral with unique nighttime drone footage of the empty cathedral to create an atmospheric backdrop to accompany John Challenger, the Assistant Director of Music, performing his full organ arrangement of  Holst’s The Planets.

The film and accompanying audio album is a result of The Planets Project (2023) that saw John create a new arrangement of the seven-movement orchestral suite specifically for Salisbury’s Father Willis organ in work between local schools, the Cathedral’s Education Department, and the music charity La Folia.

To conclude the Planets Project, the music has been recorded for a double-release: an audio album, and a full-length film entitled ‘The Planets – Out of Darkness’.

It was launched to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Holst’s birth and premiered for free on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel on 18 September.

An audio recording is also available for download and on CD. Get yours here.