Gustav Holst, born in Cheltenham in 1874, came from a family of renowned musicians that spanned three generations.¹⁾

Gustav aspired to be a pianist but was stopped from doing so due to neuritis. He described his right arm as feeling “like a jelly overloaded with electricity”.²⁾

Gustav began playing the trombone when he was 12 years old. He was appointed organist at a Gloucestershire church five years later.³⁾