Holst: The Planets – Deborah Cheetham Fraillon: Earth Deborah Cheetham Fraillon, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Jaime Martin

• Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934): The Planets, Op. 32:
• 1 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, the Bringer of War 07:26
• 2 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace 08:20
• 3 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger 04:08
• 4 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity 08:10
• 5 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age 08:46
• 6 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: VI. Uranus, the Magician 05:46
• 7 Holst: The Planets, Op. 32: VII. Neptune, the Mystic 07:48
• Deborah Cheetham Fraillon (b. 1964): Earth:
• 8 Fraillon: Earth 09:11
• Total Runtime 59:35

Info for Holst: The Planets – Deborah Cheetham Fraillon: Earth

“Ultimately the Earth is set apart from its neighbours in this solar system by our humanity. And so, in the process of composing this work I decided to include that which truly defines us—our Voice.” Deborah Cheetham Fraillon

Under the leadership of Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Jaime Martín, 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 its premiere, Gustav Holst’s intergalactic masterpiece, The Planets has been a fixture in international orchestral repertoire since its 1920 debut. 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.

Each movement takes its title from a planet; however, Holst chose to use astrological signs as his inspiration, rather than astronomical planets, which explains Earth’s absence. Beginning with Mars, the Bringer of War and ending with Neptune, the Mystic, the distinct and memorable mood of each movement is intended to convey ideas and emotions associated with the influence of the planets on the psyche, not the Roman deities. The Planets remains one of the rare orchestral works whose title alone can fill a concert hall.

Conducted by Martín and recorded at Hamer Hall in March 2024, the new album marks the world premiere release of MSO commission Earth by acclaimed composer, performer, Artistic Director and MSO First Nations Creative Chair, Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO.

“This work represented my seventh composition created for the musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra,” says Cheetham Fraillon. “The original premise for this commission was to create a movement that would complement the intent of Holst’s Planets suite by adding the Earth to the seven movements named for our neighbours in the solar system.

“As with each commission the main point is to find your inspiration and begin. Ultimately the Earth is set apart from its neighbours in this solar system by our humanity. And so, in the process of composing this work I decided to include that which truly defines us—our Voice. The glimmering, shining beauty of nature inspired me to write this text and to set it as the finale of this work”.

Deborah Cheetham Fraillon, soprano
Upper Voices of the MSO Chorus
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Jaime Martin, conductor

Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (Yorta Yorta/Yuin)
soprano and composer, is a respected human rights advocate and recognised thought leader on the importance of cultural authority in the Art Music space. Throughout a long and distinguished career Deborah has championed the voice and visibility of classically trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island musicians through her achievements as a composer, performer and artistic director of Australia’s national First Nations Opera Company Short Black Opera (est. 2009) and Director of Dhungala Children’s Choir (est. 2008).

In 2019 Cheetham Fraillon established the One Day in January project designed to develop and nurture Indigenous orchestral musicians. From this emerged Ensemble Dutala, Australia’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Chamber Ensemble which has led to the increased visibility and status of First Nations orchestral musicians in Australia.

As a composer Cheetham Fraillon’s list of commissions for major ensembles and companies include works for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Australian String Quartet, West Australian Symphony Orchestra String Quartet, Rubiks Collective, Melbourne Ensemble, The ABC, The Sydney Philharmonia, Plexus Collective, Flinders Quartet Goldner Quartet, The Australian Ballet, Victorian Opera, The MPavilion Project, Chineke (UK) and Hawai’i Symphony.

Cheetham Fraillon’s landmark compositions include Australia’s first Indigenous opera Pecan Summer (2010), Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace (2018) and the ongoing multi-layered, multilingual chamber music series Woven Song (2018).

Deborah Cheetham Fraillon’s career and achievements have been celebrated with a number of significant awards and commendations including: the Don Banks Music Award (2023), Queensland Government - Australian Women in Music Lifetime Achievement Awards (2022), the JC Williamson Lifetime Achievement Award (2021) and the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award for service to music; Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Australia (2018). In the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, Deborah was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), for distinguished service to the performing arts as an opera singer, composer and artistic director, to the development of Indigenous artists, and to innovation in performance and in 2022 she was appointed as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA).

In 2021 Deborah Cheetham Fraillon began a five year appointment as MSO First Nations Creative Chair and 2023 was appointed the inaugural Elizabeth Todd Chair of Vocal Studies at The Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the University of Sydney.

Jaime Martin
In 2022, Spanish conductor Jaime Martín takes on the position of Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Since 2019 Jaime has been Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, with his appointment now extended up to 2027, and Chief Conductor of Ireland’s RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. He was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of  Gävle  Symphony Orchestra from 2013 to 2022, and was recently announced as the Principal Guest Conductor of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España (Spanish National Orchestra) for the 22/23 season.

Having spent many years as a highly regarded flautist, working with the most inspiring conductors of our time, Jaime turned to conducting full-time in 2013 and has become very quickly sought after at the highest level. Recent and future engagements include his debuts with the Dresden and Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestras, return visits to the London Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Spanish Radio Symphony Orchestra (RTVE), Antwerp Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Gulbenkian and Indianapolis Symphony orchestras, as well as a nine-city European tour with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. ​

In recent years Martín has conducted an impressive list of orchestras that includes the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National, Swedish Radio Symphony, Barcelona Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, Queensland Symphony, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saabruecken, Essen Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestras, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. He has forged strong relationships with renowned soloists such as Anne Sophie von Otter, Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zukerman, Christian Tetzlaff and Viktoria Mullova, among many others. Martín has also commissioned multiple world and regional premieres of works by composers Ellen Reid, Andrew Norman, Missy Mazzoli, Derrick Spiva, Albert Schnelzer and Juan Pablo Contreras.

Martín is recording a series for Ondine Records with the Gävle Symphony Orchestra; this includes the Brahms Serenades, Songs of Destiny, Brahms choral works with the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, and a recording of the Brahms Piano Quartet arranged by Schoenberg, which was released in February 2019. He has also recorded Schubert Symphony No. 9 and Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Eroica with Orquestra de Cadaqués and various discs with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra for Tritó Records. In 2015 he recorded James Horner’s last symphonic work Collages for four horns and orchestra with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

​ As a flautist, Martín was principal flute of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, English National Opera, Academy of St Martin the Fields and London Philharmonic Orchestra. Also sought-after as a soloist, he made a recording of Mozart flute concertos with Sir Neville Marriner, the premiere recording of Sinfonietta Concerto for Flute and Orchestra written for him by Xavier Montsalvatge and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, and Bach works for flute, violin, and piano with Murray Perahia and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields for Sony.

​ Martín is the Artistic Advisor and previous Artistic Director of the Santander Festival. Over the last five years he has brought financial stability and created a platform for some of the most exciting artists in their fields, ranging from symphony orchestras and baroque ensembles to education workshops and ballet companies. He was also a founding member of the Orquestra de Cadaqués, with whom he was associated for thirty years, and where he was Chief Conductor from 2012 to 2019.

Jaime Martín is a Fellow of the Royal College of Music, London, where he was a flute professor. He now enjoys working with many of his former students in orchestras around the world.

Booklet for Holst: The Planets – Deborah Cheetham Fraillon: Earth