Editing Thaxted (section)

== Thaxted and music ==
[[File:Gustav Holst blue plaque Thaxted Essex England.jpg|thumb|Gustav Holst lived in Thaxted from 1917 to 1925]]
In the twentieth century, Thaxted developed a musical tradition that can be traced back to the influence of the composer, [[Gustav Holst]], and [[Conrad Noel]], the vicar of Thaxted.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Holst|first=Imogen|title=Gustav Holst and Thaxted: A Short Account of the Composer's Association with the Town of Thaxted Between 1913 and 1925|publisher=Mark Arman|year=1995|isbn=0946943109|location=Thaxted}}</ref>

In 1913, while on a walking holiday, Holst discovered the town and remained associated with it for the rest of his life. Encouraged by the vicar, Conrad Noel, a medievalist and folk-dancing and church music enthusiast, Holst had the idea of organizing a Whitsun festival there, bringing singers and players from [[St Paul's Girls' School]] and [[Morley College Choir|Morley College]] in London to join with local people in a weekend of musical festivities. In 1916, once he had finished [[The Planets]], he devoted time to writing and arranging music especially for Thaxted. The carols ''Bring us in good ale'' (dedicated to Conrad Noel), [[Lullay My Liking|''Lullay my liking'']], ''Of one that is so fair and bright'' and ''Terly, terlow'' were specifically written for Thaxted. His most outstanding achievement was ''[[This Have I Done for My True Love|This have I done for my true love]]'' (also dedicated to Noel), "an evocation of the medieval notion of dancing and religious worship being closely intertwined".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Holst: This have I done for my true love & other choral works|url=https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDH55171|access-date=2020-10-03|website=Hyperion Records|language=en}}</ref> Holst's daughter, [[Imogen Holst]], a composer in her own right, also maintained links with the town.

Although the Whitsun Festival was discontinued in 1918, the idea was revived in 1980 and flourishes as the [https://www.thaxtedfestival.co.uk Thaxted Festival].

[[Thaxted (tune)|Thaxted]] is the name given to a hymn tune, a setting for "[[I Vow to Thee, My Country]]", which Holst composed, based on the theme of "Jupiter" in his orchestral [[The Planets|Planets]] suite.<ref name="Guardian2007" /> Holst wrote the Planets whilst living in a cottage in Monks Street outside Thaxted.