For some weird reason, I often ask people which movement of "The Planets" is their favorite. Most of the time, "Jupiter" is the answer and I can understand why. It's catchy, it has three nicely defined sections, the horn part is FREAKING SWEET, etc. There are a few people who answer "Mars," which I completely respect. It's in five (which we don't hear every day), it's loud, it's menacing, it brings an evil smirk to the face, etc.
For me, "Saturn" is in a league of its own. None of the other movements display such a wide range of emotions. I can't even describe how it makes me feel, I just know how deeply it affects me. I can listen to it while doing something else (such as writing this blog entry), but I have to pause for the last two minutes. These two minutes are other-worldly and perfect. The final cadence makes my heart ache. I can only think of a few more pieces right now that cause me to feel this way.
I think I was in seventh grade when I first heard "The Planets," and "Saturn" has been my favorite ever since. I still can't listen to "Neptune," though. It scares the crap out of me.
