MUSICIANS from the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra had a rare opportunity to play one of the most famous pieces of British classical music, The Planets Suite by Gloucestershire-born composer Gustav Holst.

The orchestra welcomed back Thomas Payne, one of its former conductors, who took up the baton for a day-long workshop at St Mary’s Church in Chepstow culminating in a free performance for music lovers.

The number of musicians swelled to around 75 as regular members of the orchestra were joined by others from across the South West and South Wales and as far away as East Anglia to have the opportunity to play the piece.

The orchestra was joined by singers from the Chepstow Chatelaines and Forest-based members of Gloucester Choral Society for the final movement, Neptune: The Mystic

Mr Payne, who conducted the orchestra between 2010 and 2014 said: “A lot of orchestras like to do these play days where they get through a big work in one day just to play great music.

“When I was conducting this orchestra, we would never have been able to put on The Planets, it is just too big but when you get people together and play it through once its really rewarding.

“To get the forces for this and 10 weeks of rehearsal is quite tricky so to get everyone together for one day and have a lot of fun, that’s he idea behind it.

“I was really happy with the result, you never know what you are going to get with these because everyone has a different level of experience.

“On the one hand you feel you know it so well but to play it’s notoriously difficult but we come for a challenge

“The main thing is people enjoy it.

“I was so pleased we had the choir because it is a really difficult thing to sing and they gave the atmosphere beautifully.”

Cheltenham-born Holst composed The Planets between 1914 and 1917 taking inspiration from Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.