Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets is one of the most spectacular orchestral showcases on the repertoire, and a remarkable work for its time. Completed in 1917, the work reflects in part the influence of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russe that visited London in 1913, and the advent of the First World War in 1914.

Another master orchestrator was Rimsky-Korsakov, who would teach the art to composers as varied as Ravel, Respighi and Vaughan Williams. His Scheherazade remains a supreme example of orchestral tone painting, and many of his operas contain music as vivid and colourful, using Ukranian folk melodies. Mlada (1889) is an extraordinary work, written for vast orchestral forces, with a lush orchestral sound that reveals his recent immersion in the music of Wagner. The many scene changes made the opera expensive to stage, so Rimsky arranged Act 3 for smaller forces and made this suite from the opera.

‘The movement (Saturn) opens with an achingly, despairing remorseless tread and moves with powerful dignity and hammering timpani to its strong climax at 5'40", with the belts sounding the knell of doom: afterwards, the dark woodwind and dejected violins are very poignant against the growling bass. Then the texture lightens magically (6’27") and the piece moves sadly to its serene close: it is most impressive’ - Gramophone, September 1992