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As we celebrate the 150th birthday of the great composer Gustav Holst, we have invited Chris Cope, Chairman of the Trustees of The Holst Society, to share the fascinating story behind Holst and his connection with Chichester, which led to his ashes being interred at the Cathedral.
Music is central to the life and worship of Chichester Cathedral, particularly choral music, which Holst so passionately championed through his highly original compositions and collaborations.
Holst's final resting place at Chichester Cathedral
Gustav Holst died in London on 25th May 1934 and was cremated at Golders Green crematorium. At the beginning of June, Holst’s widow Isobel wrote to George Bell, Bishop of Chichester Cathedral, asking permission for her husband’s ashes to be buried there. Bell agreed, and Holst’s ashes were buried in the north transept of the Cathedral on Sunday 25th June beneath a simple inscription: ‘Gustav Holst 1874-1934’. In 2009, this was replaced by a memorial stone designed by Alec Peever, bearing an inscription chosen by the late Michael Short (1937-2023) from Holst’s own text for the Hymn of Jesus:The Heavenly Spheres Make Music For Us. It is significant that the memorial stone lies just below the wall memorial to Thomas Weelkes, where Holst’s singers had stood to sing Weelkes’ music during Whitsun festivals. These Whitsun festivals were not only central to Holst’s involvement with Chichester Cathedral but also played a role in the final resting place of his ashes, as explored further below.
A service of tribute: music at Holst’s interment
The service was conducted by Bishop Bell, and singers from St Paul’s Girls’ School (SPGS) and Morley College, where Holst had been director of music at both institutions, performed. They were conducted by Vaughan Williams, Holst’s close friend. The music included Weelkes’ Let Thy Merciful Ears, the Kyrie from Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G Minor, and music by Holst, including This Have I Done For My True Love and Turn Back, O Man.
Why Chichester?
One might have expected Holst’s ashes to be buried in Westminster Abbey, where you will find memorial stones for composers such as Vaughan Williams, Stanford (Holst’s tutor at the Royal College of Music), Herbert Howells (another pupil of Stanford), and Benjamin Britten. So why did Isobel choose Chichester Cathedral? The answer lies in the connection between Holst and George Bell, the Bishop of Chichester.
A collaboration between Holst and Bishop George Bell
At the beginning of October 1927, Holst received an invitation from Bell, then Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, to write some incidental music for a dramatic production to be performed at the cathedral. Bell was interested in using drama to convey a religious message and had asked John Masefield (later Poet Laureate) to write a play for which Holst would compose the music. This was a radical proposal at the time. Although church dramas had been performed widely in the Middle Ages, the practice had fallen out of favour, and such a production had not been staged in a British cathedral in modern times. After overcoming opposition from the cathedral organist, the first performance of The Coming of Christ took place at Whitsun in 1928 at Canterbury Cathedral.
The Whitsun festivals: a legacy of music and friendship
In 1929, Bell was appointed Bishop of Chichester. In early 1930, Bell invited Holst and his choirs to perform at Chichester Cathedral during Whitsuntide. Holst’s choirs performed works by Purcell, Bach, Byrd, Weelkes, and others, and the Cathedral was filled to capacity. These Whitsun festivals helped solidify Holst’s connection to Chichester Cathedral. Holst and Bell’s friendship continued beyond this collaboration, and it is fitting that Chichester became Holst’s final resting place.
Holst's continued connection to Chichester Cathedral
Holst and Bell remained friends, and their relationship had a lasting impact on Chichester Cathedral. Following Holst’s death, Bell played a key role in efforts to raise funds for the expansion of Morley College, a cause close to Holst’s heart. The extension was successfully built and opened by Queen Mary in 1937.
We will be commemorating Gustav Holst’s 150th anniversary with several musical events, including a special Choral Evensong on Saturday 21st September. This will be followed by a celebratory concert on Thursday 24th October with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra performing his works, such as the iconic Mars, Bringer of War under our autumn installation of Mars by artist Luke Jerram.
We hope you can join us for these events to celebrate the enduring legacy of this remarkable composer.
From visiting performers to lunchtime concerts, music remains at the heart of Cathedral life. The Cathedral Choir, long renowned for its excellence, is a cultural asset admired in Chichester and beyond. To ensure its future, the Chichester Cathedral Platinum Endowment Trust for Music has been established. With an initial target of £5 million, this fund will secure a reliable income and ensure that future generations will continue to experience the transformative power of music, a cornerstone of the Cathedral’s worshipping life.