In their studies of both Greek and Roman mythology they learned about the significance of the stars and planets to scientists and philosophers of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. In this lesson, students add the possibility of expressing the symbolic characteristics of three particular planets in music, rather than words.
Objectives Recall the names of the planets that revolve about the sun.
Listen to three sections of Gustav Holst's The Planets. Identify characteristics of Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter as suggested by the music. Portray these characteristics in visual form while listening to the music. Holst began with the idea of being a concert pianist but had a neuritis in one hand that prevented that ambition. He subsequently switched to trombone, which he played in many orchestras.