Holst: The Collector's Edition

Cons: Like any compilation set like this, the recordings are going to be of variable quality. For instance if you're buying this set mainly for the Planets, I would not recommend it. There are other recordings better than the one on this disc. And unfortunately, they did omit some rather nice Holst works, such as the Double Concerto, Two Songs Without Words, Fugal Overture, Lyric Movement, The Cloud Messenger and the posthumous Capriccio. It's hard to see how works like that don't make it while some others do, unless perhaps those aforementioned works just don't exist in the EMI catalog. (As an example, Holst's most successful opera was Sivitri. That's not included while they include two of lesser quality and renown.)
Pros: While there are some inexplicable omissions, it more than makes up for it with what it does contain. This set contains a lot of nice works that have not been frequently recorded (Beni Mora, Ode to Death, Dirge for two Veterans, Hammersmith (original version) to just name a few). To be able to amass such a number of rare works in one fell swoop for such a bargain price more than makes up for the downsides. It's handsomely packaged and as mentioned it's an absolute bargain, therefore I give it five stars!

Six CDs for under $20?! Great deal for great music!

CD 1
The Planets - Suite, Op. 32 / H125 48.33
- - - London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult with Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
The Perfect Fool, Op. 39 / H150 10.42
Egdon Heath, Op. 47 / H172 (Homage to Hardy) 14.45
- - -London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn

CD 2
A Somerset Rhapsody, Op. 21 No. 2 / H87 9.41
Brook Green Suite, H190 6.25
Bournemouth Sinfonietta / Norman del Mar
A Fugal Concerto, Op. 40 No. 2 / H152 8.33
- - -Jonathan Snowden, flute - David Theodore, oboe
- - -English Chamber Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin
Beni Mora (Oriental Suite), Op. 29 No. 1 / H114 14.09
- - -BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent
St. Paul's Suite, Op. 29 No. 2 / H118 12.39
- - -Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent
Hymns from the Rig Veda - 2nd Group, Op. 26 No. 2 / H98 13.52
- - -London Symphony Chorus, women's voices
Ode to Death, Op. 38 / H144 (Whitman) 11.14
- - -London Symphony Chorus
- - -London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Charles Groves

CD 3
Psalm 86, H117 No. 1 8.00
- - -Ian Partridge, tenor - Ralph Downes, organ
A Choral Fantasia, Op. 51 / H177 17.14
- - -Dame Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano - Ralph Downes, organ
- - -The Purcell Singers
- - -English Chamber Orchestra / Imogen Holst
First Suite in E flat, Op. 28 No. 1 / H105 9.57
Second Suite in F, Op. 28 No. 2 / H106 11.36
Central Band of the Royal Air Force / Imogen Holst
A Moorside Suite, H173 13.55
- - -BMC (Oxford) Band / Imogen Holst
Hammersmith, Op. 52 / H178 13.22
- - -Central Band of the Royal Air Force / Wing Commander J.L. Wallace

CD 4
Hymns from the Rig Veda - 4th Group, Op. 26 No. 4 / H100
III. Hymn to Manas 3.47
The Homecoming, H120 (Hardy) 6.02
- - -Baccholian Singers of London
A Dirge for Two Veterans, H121 (Whitman) 6.15
- - -Baccholian Singers of London
- - -Philip Jones Brass Ensemble / Ian Humphris
Six Choral Folk-Songs (arr.), H136
Six Choruses, Op. 53 / H186 (Medieval Latin, trans. Waddell)
- - -Baccholian Singers of London
- - -English Chamber Orchestra / Ian Humphris
Eight Canons, H187 (Medieval Latin, trans. Waddell)
3. The Fields of Sorrow 1.02
4. David's Lament for Jonathan 1.20
6. Truth of all Truth 3.56
- - -Baccholian Singers of London
Bring us in good ale. Op. 34 No. 4 / H131 (anon) 1.00
- - -The King's Singers
Vedic Hymns - 1st Group, Op. 24 / H90
II. Varuna 3.23
- - -Frederick Harvey, baritone - Gerald Moore, piano
Three Festival Choruses, Op. 36a / H134
II. Turn back O Man (C. Bax) 4.19
- - -Choir of Chichester Cathedral / Richard Seal, organ / John Birch
Lullay my liking. Op. 34 No. 2 / H129 (anon) 3.43
- - -Arranged for boys' voices by Imogen Holst
- - -London Boy Singers / Jonathan Steele
Three Carols / H133
II. Christmas Song: Personent Hodie (Piae Cantiones) 2.40
Bach Choir / Jacques Orchestra / Sir David Willcocks
Hymn: In the bleak mid-winter (English Hymnal, 1906)
(based on poem by Christina Rossetti) 3.57
- - -Rodney Christian Fellowship Festival Choir
- - -Edwin Bates, organ / Rodney Smith Bishton

CD 5
The Hymn of Jesus, Op. 37 / H140
(Apocryphal Acts of St. John, trans. Holst) 22.04
- - -Choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral Choir - London Symphony Chorus
- - -London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Charles Groves
Short Festival Te Deum, H145 4.38
- - -London Symphony Chorus
- - -London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Charles Groves
Choral Symphony, Op. 41 / H155 (Keats) 49.55
- - -Felicity Palmer, soprano - London Philharmonic Choir
- - -London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult

CD 6
The Wandering Scholar, Op. 50 / H176 24.24 Chamber Opera in one act
- - -Louis (a farmer).............................................Michael Rippon, baritone
- - -Alison (his wife..............................................Norma Burrowes, soprano
- - -Father Philippe...........................................- - -Michael Langdon, bass
- - -Pierre (a wandering scholar)....................... Robert Tear, tenor
- - -English Opera Group / English Chamber Orchestra / Steuart Bedford

At the Boar's Head, Op. 42 / H156 51.00 A musical interlude in one act.
- - -Prince Hal............................................... .Philip Langridge, tenor
- - -Falstaff......................................................John Tomlinson, bass
- - -Hostess (Mistress Quickly)..................... ....Elise Ross, soprano
- - -Doll Tearsheet............................................Felicity Palmer, mezzo-soprano
- - -Pistol..........................................................David Wilson-Johnson, baritone
- - -Peto............................................................Peter Hall, tenor
- - -Bardolph.......................... ..........................Richard Suart, baritone
- - -Poins..........................................................Michael George, bass
- - -Men's voices of the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir
- - -Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra / David Atherton

I have always enjoyed Holst's "the Planets" and some of his various compositions for brass band, but I was not familiar with his other works. This collection brings together most of his works and is a wonderful way to become better acquainted with Holst. The price I paid just makes the listening experience even more satisfying.