01. - 07. Gustav Holst - The Planets. Suite, op.32 [49'33]
08. Colin Matthews - Pluto. The Renewer [6'22]
09. Gustav Holst - Lyric Movement for viola and small orchestra, H.191* [11'49]
10. Gustav Holst - Neptune. The Mystic (original ending) [6'50]
*Timothy Pooley- viola, Halle Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder with the Ladies of the Halle Choir in Neptune and Pluto.
Hyperion CDH 55350 (original CD release 2001)
(CD rip - flacs, booklet and cover scans)
08. Gustav Holst - A Somerset Rhapsody, op.21 no.2* [9'40]
09. - 11. Gustav Holst - Brook Green Suite, H.190* [6'19]
Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis with Toronto Children's Chorus in Neptune.
*Bournemouth Sinfonietta conducted by Norman Del Mar
EMI Seraphim 5737332 (this CD release 2001)
(digital download - flacs, booklet, cover and inlay scans)
Mark Elder - Halle
Recording venue: The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (March 2001)
Recording engineer: Tony Faulkner; Producer: Andrew Keener
Andrew Davis - Toronto
Recording venue: Centre in the Square, Kitchener, Ontario (January 1986)
Recording engineer and Producer: Anton Kwiatkowski
Norman Del Mar - Bournemouth
Recording venue: Guildhall Southampton (August 1981)
Recording engineer and Producer: Not disclosed
Here are two more recordings of The Planets with performances and recordings that place them very close to (not to say within) my preferred group of six (http://meetinginmusic.blogspot.co.nz/2017/04/five-views-of-holsts-planets.html) - Handley, Mackerras, Mehta, Boult (1979), Goodman and Levine.
I had been aware of the critical acclaim for Mark Elder's recording at the time of its first release but that obviously didn't translate into continued sales as it was quite quickly relegated to Hyperion's budget Helios label - and no longer as SACD. It has generally been overlooked, but it's really quite a splendid performance and recording (typically for Tony Faulkner). It was also the first recording to include Colin Matthews' newly composed eighth Planet - Pluto. (It must be very galling to have the subject of your composition subsequently downgraded by the grey-beards to a pseudo-planet.) For those, like me, who do not appreciate Neptune being followed by Pluto (fine music though it is), you can easily program your player to use the original ending instead.
Another frequently overlooked recording is Andrew Davis' 1986 for EMI and made in Toronto. This is undoubtedly the finest of his many recordings of the work and it is incredibly powerful, especially Mars with its overwhelming organ and 'atomic' bomb drop. Some may not like his use of a childrens' chorus in Neptune, but it didn't bother me.
Both recordings meet my selection criteria, although Elder's Mars is a bit slow to get going and become menacing. The fill-ups on this re-release of Davis' recording are very well played, as usual, under Norman Del Mar but probably don't influence any choice. It's not my rip and many thanks to the original uploader.
PS: Another very fine recording that has only recently come to my attention is Seiji Ozawa's with the Boston Symphony, made for Philips in 1979. The 2010 Newton Classics reissue can be found on the dreaded Israbox at www.israbox.one/3137528015-boston-symphony-orchestra-seiji-ozawa-holst-the-planets-2010.html.