Sir Arthur Bliss: Music for Strings; Pastoral

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The 1930s were a decade of great writing for Sir Arthur Bliss. But after producing a successful score for the film Things to Come (1935), he turned to less programmatic music. Music for Strings (1935) was the first to emerge. More abstract, it still retains Bliss's penchant for bright orchestral colors and lucid melodies. Fans of Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Stanford, and Walton will like this very much. Pastoral ("Lie strewn the white flocks"), of 1929, was Bliss's first genuinely successful composition, mixing as it does Bliss's interest in classical poetry and myth. Pastoral ranks very high among British choral works. Paul Cook

Tracks:

Facade: Long Steel Grass - Susana Walton
Mark Of Cain - Bournemouth SO
A Sym Of Liberation: II. Resistance - Bournemouth SO
Sym No.5: First Movt - Bournemouth SO
Sym No.2: First Movt - Bournemouth SO
Carriage And Pair - Bournemouth SO
Facade: Old Sir Faulk - Susana Walton
Henry V: Touch Her Soft Lips And Part - Bournemouth SO
Christopher Columbus: Gloria - Arthur Davies/Westminster Singers
Lyra Angelica: Con: I. Adagio - Rachel Masters
Odd Man Out: Prld - LSO
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn The White Flocks': The Pigeon Song - David Haslam/Della Jones
The Lark Ascending - Michael Davis
Sym No.3 'Laudes Musicae', Op.90: III. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Moto - Neil Mackie

Sir Arthur Bliss: Checkmate Suite; Hymn to Apollo; Quintet for Clarinet & Strings; Pastoral

Average customer rating:

Best Bargain Bliss

Sir Arthur Bliss: Checkmate Suite; Hymn to Apollo; Quintet for Clarinet & Strings; Pastoral

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IM6R
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Checkmate Suite: I Prologue: The Players
Checkmate Suite: II Dance Of The Four Knights
Checkmate Suite: III Entry Of The Black Queen
Checkmate Suite: IV The Red Knight's Mazurka
Checkmate Suite: V Ceremony Of The Red Bishops
Checkmate Suite: VI Finale: Checkmate
Quintet For Clarinet And Strings: I Moderato
Quintet For Clarinet And Strings: II Allegro molto
Quintet For Clarinet And Strings: III Adagietto espressivo - Allegro moderato
Quintet For Clarinet And Strings: IV Allegro enerigico
Hymn To Apollo

Tracks:

Music for Strings: I Allegro moderato, energico
Music for Strings: II Andante, molto sostenuto
Music for Strings: III Allegro molto
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': I Introduction And The Shepherd's Holyday
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': II A Hymn To Pan
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': III Pan's Saraband
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': IV Pan And Echo
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': V The Naiads' Music
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': VI The Pigeon Song
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': VII The Song Of The Reapers
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': VIII Finale
Pastoral 'Lie Strewn the White Flocks': IX The Sheperd's Night-Song

Customer Reviews:

Best Bargain Bliss.......2001-01-11

For those who have not yet discovered the music of Sir Arthur Bliss, former Master of the Queen's Music, this is an excellent introduction.

The Music for Strings is a moving piece, not unlike the Elgar Inroduction and Allegro in style, although in the singular language that can only be Bliss. Under Hickox and the Northern Sinfonia, it is very moving.

The Checkmate suite is, I think, the best introduction for those who wish to explore Bliss' music. Easily approachable, with gorgeous scrunchy chords and near-dissonances, and vital lively rhythms. It is wonderfully played by Handley and the Ulster Orchestra.

The Hymn to Apollo is rarely performed (or indeed recorded) nowadays, and is good to have this brilliant piece available again, especially when is it so movingly performed by Hickox and the UO.

The Clarinet Quintet, too, is not often heard, and this excellent performance by Janet Hilton and the Lidsay Quartet is particularly well recorded.

The Pastoral "Lie strewn the white flocks" is typical of Bliss' sound world and once heard the haunting music is never forgotten. Again, the recording is excellent.

Tracks:

Music for Strings: I. Allegro moderato, engerico-Molto meno-mosso-Ancora meno mosso...
Music for Strings: II. Andante, molto sostenuto-Poco allegretto-Tempo 1
Music for Strings: III. Allegro molto-Adante moderato-Allegro molto- Andante moderato...
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': Intro & The Shepherd's Holyday
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': A Hymn to Pan: Assai ostentuto, tranquillo-con moto moderato
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': Pan's Saraband: Allegrissimo
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': Pan and Echo: Moderato
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': The Naiads' Music: Allegrio Leggerio
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': The Pigeon Song: Andante moderato - The Sinf Chor/Nothern Sinf/Richard Hickox/Della Jones
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': The Song of the Reapers: Allegro deciso
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': Finale Andante: sostenuto
Pastoral 'Lie strewn the white flocks': The Sheperd's Night-Song: Piu lenrto

Amazon.com

The 1930s were a decade of great writing for Sir Arthur Bliss. But after producing a successful score for the film Things to Come (1935), he turned to less programmatic music. Music for Strings (1935) was the first to emerge. More abstract, it still retains Bliss's penchant for bright orchestral colors and lucid melodies. Fans of Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Stanford, and Walton will like this very much. Pastoral ("Lie strewn the white flocks"), of 1929, was Bliss's first genuinely successful composition, mixing as it does Bliss's interest in classical poetry and myth. Pastoral ranks very high among British choral works. Paul Cook