Harmony
of the Spheres
a Suite for Orchestra by Evan Maly
Harmony of the Spheres is an hour-long suite for orchestra that borrows themes from The Planets by Gustav Holst to create an original story. The piece has 28 movements and shows a variety of musical forms, including a theme and variations, a waltz, and a fugue. I intended to compose a programmatic piece for symphony orchestra and pay tribute to some of my favorite composers and pieces.
The piece came about while revisiting Gustav Holst's The Planets, Op. 32, and I wanted to make some characters based on the movements. As I began to involve my friends in the design process, they encouraged me to turn the idea into a fleshed-out story. Thus, Harmony of the Spheres was born. I began writing the music in 2022 and completed the entire piece in May 2024. During that time, the project became my undergraduate thesis. I defended the piece for Honors, and my committee awarded me Highest Honors for my work.
Below are renders of the movements separated into three acts created using MuseScore 4's Muse Sounds.
Harmony of the Spheres references The Planets, Op. 32 by Gustav Holst and Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 by Sergei Prokofiev.
A C T
O N E
Movements and Renders
I. Overture
II. The Jovian Moons
III. Pluto
IV. Jupiter Proposes the Festival to Pluto
V. Arrangements for the Festival
VI. Gossip
VII. Delivering the Invitations
a. Invitations
b. Jupiter Summons the Messenger
c. Saturn
d. Uranus and Venus
e. Mars
f. Neptune
A C T
T W O
Movements and Renders
VIII. Festival Preparations
IX. The Guests Arrive
X. Minuet
XI. Saturn Arrives Late
XII. Moonlets
XIII. The Magician
XIV. Grand Waltz
XV. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
A C T
T H R E E
Movements and Renders
XVI. Pluto in the Garden
XVII. Eris
XVIII. Pluto’s Capture
XIX. Eris Attacks
XX. Pluto Begs to Spare Eris
XXI. Jupiter Presents the Offer
XXII. Farewell to Pluto
XXIII. Epilogue