Mars And Holst: A Comparative Analysis

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The movements of Mars and Venus in “The Planets” by Gustav Holst are two seemingly opposite pieces, with completely different feelings, tempos, and instrumental arrangements. The characteristics of the two gods couldn’t be any more opposite, yet Holst decided to put them one after the other in his symphony. With Nietzsche's “Birth of Tragedy,” knowledge of the planet’s astrology (and possibly historical context) I will uncover how the two movements are more similar than anyone ever imagined. Insert something about the Apolline and Dionysiac drives here. Lots of Nietzsche. Something like this: “Their two deities of art, Apollo and Dionysos, provide the starting-point for our recognition that there exists in the world of the Greeks an …show more content…

These are also traits that one might think of when thinking about Mars the Roman deity. Mars is in charge of all sports and competitions. The element of fire rules Mars in Chinese astrology because of its passion, energy and adventurous nature. Some traits of Mars are both Dionysiac and Apolline. Confidence is Dionysiac because too much confidence can lead to cockiness and can lead to a destructive path filled with your darkest desires. But just enough confidence can lead to a great life filled with your greatest desires. Nietzsche speaks of the thin line that the Apolline must not cross in his essay “The Birth of Tragedy.” Apollo is not allowed to cross the thin dream-line that separates reality from the dream because the knowledge of that reality creates wild Dionysiac …show more content…

Song and dance are the art forms of the Dionysiac drive because they reach inside your body to your mind and create feelings of brotherhood. Solidarity is personified in the Dionysiac because every man feels connected to everyone around them. While Venus seems like it would be a predominately Apolline song, it is both Apolline and Dionysiac. The entire song simulates the feeling of flying, but the feeling is not always the same. At the beginning the feeling is more Apolline, you feel like you no longer inhabit your body but instead are flying above your body. This feeling is much more Apolline than Dionysiac because your mind is affected by it. You no longer have control over your body, all you can do is experience everything that is happening from the outside looking in. This feeling lasts from 7:27 to 8:59 in the movement. In the middle of the movement, the feeling of flying is much more Dionysiac. The use of string bass and cello in an ascending rhythm create the feeling of your body leaving the ground. This feeling is Dionysiac because music gives you the feeling of “flying and dancing” (Nietzsche, ). Because dancing uses your body and not your mind this feeling of flying simulates the movement of your body instead of your mind. When the french horns come back in at 13:13 the feeling of flying and dancing stops and the feeling of flying above your body starts again, but this

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