Jupiter Theme by Holst for Classical Ukulele

In this video, Jeff Peterson plays his low-G theme of the symphonic Jupiter Theme by Holst for classical ukulele. Gustav Holst, who spent many years in Cheltenham, England, featured numerous premieres at Town Hall in the city, where the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain was held in 2024. While attending the festival, Jeff imagined this theme resonating through the beautiful hall. It originates from Holst’s seven-movement orchestral suite The Planets, composed between 1914 and 1917. The Jupiter theme is arranged here in the key of F.

Performance Notes

This piece includes both dotted quarter note and eighth note rhythms. In the case of dotted eighth notes, like in measure 1, you should count “3 e & a,” playing on the 3rd beat and then the fourth 16th note of that beat. To grasp these rhythms before playing them on the ʻukulele, I recommend clapping them out. This will help you understand the shifts in timing throughout the piece.

The right hand is responsible for many block chords, using PIA when the 2nd string is not played and PIM when the 3rd string is not played. Rolling chords often can add expression to your playing. To further refine your interpretation, feel, and phrasing, listen to orchestral versions of the piece for inspiration.

Classical Music for Ukulele Volume 2

Graded Repertoire for Classical Ukulele: Volume 2

The Jupiter theme from Gustav Holst’s The Planets comes from our book Graded Repertoire for Classical Ukulele: Volume 2. The book has around 50 pieces of classical masterpieces carefully arranged for low-G ukulele in a progressive order. Starting with simple famous melodies like Bach’s Minuet in C, you progress step-by-step all the way through to classical favorites such as Fauré’s Pavane and Leyenda by Issac Albéniz.

Pick up your copy of Graded Repertoire for Classical Ukulele: Volume 2 here.