Hidden Holst IV: Piece for Yvonne H.154 (1924)

Gustav Holst is rarely recalled for his contribution to the piano repertoire. To be sure there are only a handful of full-blown works designed for the recital room. Best known is the Toccata (1924) and the Chrissemas Day in the Morning (1926.) There are also transcriptions of The Planets (1914-1916) and The Perfect Fool (1918-1922).

Michael Short (Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music, Oxford, 1990, p.224) noted that since Holst had completed the score of the large-scale Choral Symphony in May 1924, he stated that he had composed nothing new. In a letter to William Gillies Whittaker Holst wrote that “This has been the only blank August as regards composing that I can remember, but it does not matter after my wonderful Spring and although I haven’t really begun anything fresh, I feel that it is just waiting round the corner.””  Short suggests that this “must have meant large-scale compositions, for Holst was in fact working on smaller pieces, and in the same letter he confessed to “spoiling music paper to a vast extent.” He was using this time to “catch up on some projects which had been shelved during the composition of other works.” (op.cit.). At this time, Holst was residing in Thaxted, Essex.

In fact, the year 1924 saw several compositions worked on, including At the Boar’s Head, the above-mentioned Toccata for piano and the Two Motets: The Evening Watch and Sing Me the Men.

Piece for Yvonne was also completed during 1924. It was dedicated to Yvonne O’Neill, the eight-year-old daughter of fellow musicians Norman and Adine O’ Neill. On 21 July 1924 Holst wrote: “Dear Adine, I started Yvonne’s piece about two years ago but gave it up because I felt sure she would not approve of the time signature, and I could not find a way of altering it. However, your letter has inspired me to finish it so here it is with my Respects to the young lady and her mother.” (Imogen Holst, A Thematic Catalogue of Gustav’s Holst’s Music, Faber, 1974, p.150).

The piece as eventually sent to Yvonne was marked up by Holst “Allegro (or Andante if you prefer)” adding “if the piece is not easy enough let me know and I will (a) call it my second toccata (b) dedicate it to Yvonne’s mother (c) write something else for her.” (Sleeve Note Chan.9382).

Imogen Holst (op.cit.) notes that in 1974 it was still in manuscript, which was in her possession. It had not been included in Gustav’s personal list of works. In recent years it was edited and published by Raymond Head.

The publisher’s webpage describes the piece as an “attractive, tuneful, and quirky…piano piece, a delightful “folky” addition to the piano repertory suitable for adult or child of grades 2-3 standard.” In fact, it is a little pastoral that sounds effective, without being condescending. The 7/4 time signature makes it just a little bit unusual. 

In 1995 Chandos released a disc of piano music by Gustav Holst and Constant Lambert (CHAN 9382). It included the “complete” piano music of Holst as well as Lambert’s Piano Sonata, Elegy and Elegiac Blues. The soloist was Anthony Goldstone with assistance from Caroline Clemmow in the Two Dances for piano duet.

Listen to Anthony Goldstone playing the Piece for Yvonne on YouTube, here.