THE GUSTAV HOLST SOCIETY
TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025
Charity number: 1175057

THE GUSTAV HOLST SOCIETY
YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
REGISTERED CHARITY.
1175057
HONORARY PRESIDENT:
Martyn Brabbins
HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS..
Alan Gibbs
Colin Matthews
Adrian Partington
TRUSTEES:
Chris Cope, Chairman
John Wright, Vice Chairman
John Graham
OFFICERS/ MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE:
Chris Cope, Chairman and Editor of Newsletter
John Graham
Marina Moore
Vacant: Treasurer
Vacant.. Secretary
PRINCIPAL OFFICE..
Hammetts, Kings Nympton,
Devon EX37 9ST
Tel.. 01769 580041
BANKERS..
Lloyds Bank plc, PO Box 1000,
Vlthite Hart Street, High Wycombe,
Bucks BX1 1 LT
WEBSITE..
www.holstsociet
.or
ACCOUNTANTS:
Azets
Lime Court
Pathfields Business Park
South Molton
Devon
EX36 3LH

THE GUSTAV HOLST SOCIETY
REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES AND OUTLOOK FOR THE YEAR 2025126
Membershi
The Society had 127 members at 31 $1 May 2025 (a slight decrease on 2024- 128) which
included 23 (18 - 2024) honorary members. Our honorary membership includes the
President, the Vice Presidents, the Holst Victorian House, St Paul's Girls, School, the
English Music Festival, the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society and the Thaxted Festival,
together with professional musicians who have supported Holst's music. In addition, in
October 2024, the trustees decided that the overseas secretaries should be granted
honorary membership, because a number had encountered difficulties paying their
subscription due to exchange control issues. We offer our thanks to all our members for
their continuing support.
Planned recordin
For the year 2025126, the Society has just one planned recording. The Choral Hymns
from the Rig Veda {H97, H98, H99 and H100) are in four groups. The first and third groups
date from 1908109, the second was composed in 1910 and the third in 1912. There are
three hymns in the first group, three in the second, four in the third and four in the fourth.
Altogether, the music runs to about 50 minutes.
There is an incomplete recording dating from 1985 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
and the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir conducted by Sir David Willcocks.
Unfortunately, the recording of the four hymns is incomplete. The third hymn in the fi'rst
group and the first and fourth hymns in the fourth group were omitted. I have been trying
to establish the reason for this, but without success. Our vice president Colin Matthews
was a musical adviser to Sir David, but he does not have any recollection as to why three
of the Hymns were not recorded. However, I note from the liner notes that the recording
took place at All Saints, Church Tooting in London on 4 and 5 December 1984. 1 suspect
that they simply ran out of time. It would not have been cost-effective for the RPO to
return on a third day in order to record the missing three hymns. The recording also
includes the Hymn to Dionysus and the Two Eastem Pictures.
Since 1985, there has been no complete recording of the Hymns. I have been unable to
trace a more up-to-date recording of the Hymn to Dionysus. However, the Two Eastem
Pictures have been recorded in recent years.
The trustees believed that it would be a worthwhile project to record the complete Hymns,
together with the Hymn to Dionysus. That would ensure that, in future years, anyone
wishing to hear these works would be able to do so, either by securing the CD or listening
to the music on Spotify.

In 2023124 there was a proposal to record the complete Hymns on the SOMM label. It
was planned that the Two Eastern Pictures and the Hymn to Dionysus should also be
included, together with some unison songs, if there was sufficient space. The plan was
that the British Sinfonietta or the BBC National Orchestra of Wales would be engaged,
together with the BBC National Chorus of Wales conducted by Adrian Partington. The
venue was to be the Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff. The project was costed at £66,580.
Fortunately, there was a well-wisher who was prepared to underwrite the entire cost.
Sadly, he then became seriously ill and had to withdraw. That was, effectively, the end of
the project.
Not wishing to be discouraged, I then approached Will Vann, the director of music at the
Royal Hospital Chelsea who was enthusiastic. Again, the plan was to record on the
SOMM label. Siva Oke who runs the label was also very enthusiastic.
In order to reduce costs, it was planned to use a group of singers numbering about 25,
as opposed to a full-scale choral society. Similarly, the plan was to reduce the orchestral
parts so that the recording would be using a chamber orchestra. That way, the costs were
reduced to an estimated £41,000.
Included within the costings is the fee for the arranger of the orchestral music which would
be £1,500. As things presently stand, no work has been carried out on the arrangement.
Furthermore, no commitment has been made with regard to when the recording will take
place, although there is a plan to work towards a date sometime this autumn.
The challenge is to raise over £40,000.
members may be aware, the Vaughan Williams Society produces a substantial
number of recordings on the Albion label. These are largely funded through the
membership which is approximately 1,000, considerably more than the Holst Society. It
is clear that the Holst Society itself cannot raise a sum anywhere near £40,000 from its
membership and therefore grants would have to be obtained.
The most popular of the four hymns is the third set. This is for SSAA and harp. It runs to
about 13 minutes. There are frequent performances. These often take place in
conjunction with the Two Eastern Pictures which run to about four minutes. They too are
scored for SSA and harp.
Your chairman has completed a whole series of courses on obtaining grants for charitable
organisations. The Society is ready to begin the process of making grant applications
which need to be submitted before the end of March as grant applications tend to be
considered on an annual basis running from April to March inclusive.
The trustees believe that obtaining a substantial grant towards this particular recording is
likely to be difficult to achieve. One of the important factors that was highlighted in the
various courses that your chairman attended was that most applications pose the wrong
question. The application is normally submitted on the basis of 'why the society needs
the grant,, as opposed to 'what does the maker of the grant hope to achieve by acceding

to the application?, The obvious question will be 'Why does the Holst Society need to
record three missing hymns if they are rarely, if at all, performed today?,
The reason why the trustees are including so much detail with regard to this recording is
to enable the membership to decide whether it wishes to proceed with the recording.
There is an alternative point of view, namely that were the Society to raise a sum of
£40.000, it may be better use of that money to make a whole series of grants towards the
live performance of Holst's music. For example, a grant of £500 would be well received
by many amateur orchestras and choral societies and no doubt, professional groups as
well. Such a sum would enable the Society to assist in the live performance of Holst's
music in no less than 80 Con￿rtS.
One of the objectives of the Holst Society is to promote recordings of music by Holst,
hitherto unrecorded. In this digital age, fewer and fewer people are purchasing CDS.
Those interested in classical music, are much more likely to turn to Spotify or Apple
Classical iTunes or the like. It must follow therefore that the Society cannot expect to sell
very many CDS if it goes ahead with the recording. INhereas it is true that a recording
should enable the public to hear the music on Spotify, the Society has no control over
whether an organisation such as Spotify may agree to include the recording in its library.
The good news is that virtually all of Holst's music dating from after 1900 has now been
recorded. There are some gaps, with particular regard to the solo songs. In addition, the
operas have, largely, not been recorded, but to do so, would be a very expensive project.
It is, though, good news that the recording of the recent German production of Sita is
likely to appear in the next year or so on the EM label. Accordingly, the trustees believe
that the job of recording Holst's music, hitherto unrecorded, is now largely done. In future
years, the emphasis will almost certainly be in connection with grants towards live
performance.
Events in the
ear to 31 Ma
2025
The Society publishes a bi-monthly newsletter. The following information is taken from
the six issues which appeared during the year.
Jul 2024. Issue No 40
ar Societ
The Council of the Elgar Society decided to go ahead with reciprocal membership of the
Holst Society, but was only prepared to extend the arrangement to the first year of
membership. In the second and subsequent years, Holst Society members will have to
pay the full subscription. Nevertheless, the trustees have agreed to go ahead with the
arrangement, largely because the Holst Society stands to gain more than the Elgar
Society which is over six times the size of the Holst Society.

Thaxted Festival
Ran from late June to mid-July and included a number of works by Holst including the
Fugal Concerto, the Lyric Movement, the Brook Green Suite and the new arrangement
of the First Choral Symphony for redU￿d forces. The choir numbered 25 and the
orchestra just 23. The arrangement was made by Joe Fort (an honorary member) who
showed me the score which ran to 195 pages. The Society is greatly indebted to Joe for
all the hard work that he has carried out on this project. The performance was impressive.
One was able to hear so much more of the words and the music which is so often lost in
performances and recordings of the original work.
Vau
han Williams Societ
In its accounts to 3151 March 2024, the VW Society had a membership of 1,048. Recording
costs were £34,353, but sales only £18,531.
SeDtember 2024 Issue No 41
An important issue as that coincided with Holst's 150th birthday which fell on the 21st
Unfortunately, the joint programme organised by Cheltenham Borough Council and the
st
Holst Victorian House scheduled for the 21 in Cheltenham had to be postponed. due to
adverse weather.
There were a number of concerts taking place on the 21st to mark Holst's 150th In
particular, trustee John Wright organised an event at All Saints, Church in Cheltenham.
There was an evening concert at Romsey Abbey featuring Holst's Fugal Overture and
The Planets, which your chairman was able to attend. Earlier that day, your chaiman
was at choral evensong at Chichester Cathedral. The music featured Holst's Nunc
Dimittis and two of his hymns. Your chairman read the lesson and laid a wreath at Holst's
memorial stone.
Michael Short
We reported that Michael Short, one of the Society's vice presidents and who wrote the
leading biography of Holst, had died. Michael was 86. The newsletter paid tribute to the
enormous contribution that Michael had made with regard to Holst's life and music. He
will be sorely missed.
New recordin
Two new recordings were issued. These were 'Romance and Reverie, _ music for violin
and pianolharp. Also released was 'Holst at 150 A brass celebration, which included
works by Holst and his daughter Imogen as recorded by the Tredegar Town Band. Both
recordings continue to be available from the Society.

Three Choirs Festival
The programme including no less than 18 works by Holst in celebration of his 1501h
anniversary. We paid all due credit to Alexis Paterson (then chief executive) and Sam
Hudson (director of music at Worcester Cathedral) for the programming.
BBC Proms
Somewhat disappointing to report that to mark Holst's 150th anniversary, the BBC Proms
only included four works by Holst, namely The Planets (as usual), The Cloud Messenger
(a rare performance), Hammersmith and The Evening Watch.
The newsletter pointed out that in 2014, the BBC celebrated Richard Strauss 150 with no
less than 17 works by the composer.
Finnish s
osium
Your chairman was invited to introduce (online) the symposium which took place in Turku
in Finland on 28 August. I greeted the delegates in Finnish and then quickly went on to
Introdu￿ the audience to the music of Holst in a nine-minute presentation in English. The
organiser's plan is to introduce a movement from The Planets at the symposium over the
next seven years and started that year with Mars.
Freibur
Society member Klaus Simon, the founder and director of the Holst Sinfonietta, gave a
concert devoted to the music of Holst in Freiburg on 14 July.
November 2024 Issue No 42
Sita
We reported the world's first performan￿ of Holst's three-act opera Sita on 12 October
given by the Saarland State Theatre in Germany. There were seven further
perfOrman￿S. There is to be a recording (see above).
Taiwan
Member Chu-yu Yang reported that to mark Holst 150, there had been five concerts in
just over six months in Taiwan, featuring Holst's music.
SPGS CD
We reported that the recording of all the music that Holst composed whilst director of
music at St Paul's Girls, School had been recorded on the EM label and issued.
The late Rudolf Kem
On being appointed principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Mr Kempe said
that there would be plenty of Bruckner, Mahler, Strauss, Stravinsky and Bartok under his

baton, but went on to say '1 shan't neglect British music, but one shouldn't make a fetish
of it,.
That seems to be the policy presently adopted by the BBC.
Janua
2024 Issue No 43
era Facto
Freibur
We reported a recording which had appeared in 2024 given by SWR Vokal Ensemble
and the Holst Sinfonietta under their conductor Klaus Simon. The recording featured a
performance of Holst's opera Savitri, together with the Four Songs (H132) and Four
Songs from the Vedic Hymns (H90) arranged for chamber ensemble by Klaus Simon.
The recording concluded with four of the 12 Humbert Wolfe Songs, again arranged for
chamber ensemble. This recording is available from the Society.
March 2024 Issue No 44
The AGM was due to take place at the Chapter House at Gloucester Cathedral on 22
March. Prior to that, there was a one-hour recital given by violinist Leora Cohen
accompanied at the piano by Adrian Partington, a vice president of the Society. There
were three works by Holst, namely Invocation, Song of the Night and Lyric Movement, all
performed in arrangements for violin and piano.
In addition, there were performances of Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Sonata and William
Hurlstone's Four English Sketches.
After the recital, there was Choral Evensong in the Cathedral which included Holst's Nunc
Dimittis, the Short Festival Te Deum and the hymn Sheen.
Communi
event in Cheltenham
Postponed from September 2024, this duly took place on 29 March. On this occasion,
the weather was fine. There were events throughout the afternoon. The celebrations in
respect of Holst 150 were concluded at an evening concert in the Pittville Pump Room,
which included works by Holst.
Ma
2024 Issue No 45
En
lish Music Festival
Due to take pla￿ at Dorchester Abbey in late May. The concerts on Sunday 25 May
included a number of works by Holst.
Vocalessence Sin
ers Ensemble
This is a choral group based in Minnesota. The arts'stic director is Philip Brunelle, a
member. He founded the group 56 years ago. Philip has written to say that over the years,
the group has performed no less than 21 works by Holst.

The late Ra
mond Head
In the November issue, No 48, we reported the death of Raymond Head, composer, Holst
scholar and vice president of the Society. Raymond died on 131 September 2025.
Raymond spent a lifetime studying and performing Holst's music for which the Society is
eternally grateful. Raymond published a number of books and articles on Holst, with
particular regard to Holst's Sanskrit period. He will be sorely missed.
Concert listin
In each issue of the Holst Society newsletter, we include concerts in the UK and abroad
featuring Holst's music. As members will have noticed, the number of concerts featuring
Holst's music continues to increase, no doubt due to the public and musicians becoming
more familiar with Holst's music as a result of his 150th anniversary. I would like to take
this opportunity on behalf of the Society to thank Karen Fletcher, our publicist, who puts
together the complex listings every issue. This is an invaluable service to the Society and
l am sure that members will have taken advantage of the listings to attend concerts in
their locality.

THE GUSTAV HOLST SOCIETY
TRUSTEES, REPORT
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the charity for the
year ended 31 St May 2025. The trustees confirm that both the report and the financial
statements comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the
charity's governing document and the provisions of Charities SORP FRS 102 Second
Edits"on October 2019
Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of
Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance
with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS
102) (effective 1st January 2019). The Legal and Administrative Information on page 1
forms part of this report.
Ob'ectives and activities
The Society's objectives are to promote public education and appreciation of the life and
works of Gustav Holst.
The charity carries out these objectives by'.-
Sponsorship of public perforMan￿S of music by Holst.
Promotion of recordings of music by Holst, hitherto unrecorded.
structure
overnance and mana
ement
The charity is called The Gustav Holst Society and is registered with the Charity
Commission as number 1175057. On a day-to-day basis, the charity trades under the
name, The Holst Society.
The charity was formed in 2017 as an unincorporated association. It was re-registered as
a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in October 2017 and the current
constitution can be found on the Society's website.
Trustees and officers of the Society who served during the year are detailed on page 1
of this report. Trustees are elected by members at the AGM, which is open to all
members. New trustees are recruited generally by invitation, or by seeking volunteers at
general meetings. Nominations of additional trustees may be made at or before the AGM,
for consideration at that meeting. New trustees are briefed on their legal obligations under
charity law, the Charity Commission Guidan￿ on Public Benefit and are also made
aware of the charity's constitution, decision-making processes and financial position. The
trustees meet on a regular basis and are responsible for all operating decisions.
Achievements and erformance
The review of activities commencing on page 2 forms part of this report,

Financial review
Income from subscriptions was 12 % more than that for the preceding year at £4,398.
Bank balances decreased to £760 from £7,895, a year earlier.
Risks and reserves
The trustees have reviewed the risks to which the Society is exposed and consider them
to be negligible. In the year 2025126, the Society is likely to be incurring substantial
expenditure with regard to the proposed recording of Holst's Hymn5 from the Rig Veda.
The Society will be seeking external funding.
The trustees have agreed that before embarking upon any recordings, all anticipated
funding is secured in advance. If not. the recordings will be deferred.
Statement of trustees, res
onsibilitiesl accountin
olicies
1. Accountin
Policies
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention
with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the
notes to these accounts.
Accountin
Convention
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's
governing document, the Charities Act 2011, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting
Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland ("FRS 102") and the
Charities SORP Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of
Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in
accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and
Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), The charity is a Public
Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to
prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency
of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the
nearest £.
2. Reserves
The Trustees, objectives are to build up sufficient reserves to enable grants and
donations to be made to activities relating to the works of Gustav Holst. They
anticipate that future subscription income will enable it to continue as a going
concern. The Trustees will continue to monitor the reserves policy and if necessary
10

make the required amendments to enable the Society to fulfil its objectives in this
regard.
3. Members. Subscri
tions
Subscription income for the year represents members, annual subscriptions
received.
4. Fees and Ex
enses
No trustee received remuneration or fees during the year.
5. Em
There were no employees during the year.
6. Reserves Balances
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
(6,796)
56
6,740)
7. Restricted Funds
Transfer
between
funds
Balance at
1 June 2024 Income
Balance at
31 May 2025
Expenses
Recording of Holst's
sacred music
7,737
4,897
4,897
12,725
(12,725
147
147
56
56

THE GUSTAV HOLST SOCIETY
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025
2025
Unrestricted funds
2025
Restricted
funds £
2025
Total
2024
Total
INCOME
Members, Subscriptions
Donations
Gift Aid
CD Sales
Book Sales
Grants
Lectures
TOTAL
4,398
110
2,025
354
4,398
2,007
2,025
354
3,921
4,737
1,897
52
3,000
3,000
490
3,000
150
490
EXPENDITURE
Arttvork
Subscriptions
Grants
Concert Listings
CD Purchases
Advertising
Sheet Music Purchase
Sheet Music Hire
Admin services
Accommodation
Travel expenses
Loan Interest
Concert Tickets
Musicians, Fees
Venue Fees
Web Development
Accountancy Fees
Postage
Printing
Course fees
Sound engineer fees
Contribution to recording
Payments to Bruno Lima
Bank Charges
TOTAL
60
100
2,865
468
521
265
10
60
100
2,865
468
521
265
10
600
200
1,300
442
191
665
210
200
115
40
664
159
128
112
128
112
51
3,321
1,467
3,372
1,467
100
345
100
1,278
118
100
171
150
120
171
150
120
2,840
4,000
1,097
64
2,840
4,000
1,097
64
68
Surplusl(Deficit) for the year
Transfers between funds
Net Movement in Funds
Total Funds Brought Forward
Total Funds Carried Forward
2,193
147
2,046
(7,828)
147
(7,681)
(5,635)
5.146
(5,635)
5,146
56
40
11 105J
12

THE GUSTAV HOLST SOCIETY
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 MAY 2025
2025
2024
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash at bank: _
Current
Restricted
750
203
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Loan
NET ASSETSI(LIABILITIES)
(1,105)
CHARITY FUNDS
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
TOTAL FUNDS AT 31 MAY 2025
(6,796)
56
18,842)
(1.1_Oa)
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on
signed on their behalf by..
March 2026 to be
Christophe
Cope
hair of the Truste
13

ACCOUNTANTS, REPORT
In accordance with the terms of our engagement we have prepared for your approval
these financial statements of The Gustav Holst Society for the Year Ended 31 May 2025
from the accounting records and from information and explanations you have given to us.
As a practising member firm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and
Wales (ICAEW). we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which
are detsiled at icaew.comlregulations.
Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the financial
information of The Gustav Holst Society and state those matters that we have agreed to
state to you in this report in accordance with the guidance of ICAEW as detailed at
icaew.comlcompilation.
Azets
Lime Court
Pathfi'elds Business Park
South Molton
Devon
EX36 3LH
14