Holst: The Planets; Cheetham Fraillon: Earth

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's latest album unites Holst's beloved "Planets" suite with the world premiere recording of Deborah Cheetham Fraillon's "Earth". More than a century after it's premiere, Gustav Holst's "The Planets" remains one of the rare orchestral works whose title alone can fill a concert hall. From the ferocious intensity of Mars to the otherworldly mystery of Neptune, the suite guides listeners on a cosmic journey, exploring the emotions and character each planet evokes. Throughout a long and distinguished career as a soprano and composer Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (Yorta Yorta / Yuin) has championed the voice and visibility of classically trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island musicians, and in 2021 she began a five-year appointment as MSO First Nations Creative Chair. Written in response to the accompanying work on this album, Earth represents her seventh composition created for the musicians of the MSO, and brilliantly highlights Cheetham Fraillon's exceptional talents as both a composer and singer.