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Sir Arthur Bliss: the Decca Originals

Eileen Joyce (piano), Alfredo Campoli (violin), Griller Quartet (string quartet), Colin Hampton (cello), Philip Burton (viola), Jack O'Brien (violin), Sidney Griller (violin)

London Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Arthur Bliss, Muir Mathieson

This is a convenient, well-transferred compilation of some of the finest performances of music by a still-underrated composer. Bliss’s version of the Colour Symphony is better paced than many... — BBC Music Magazine, October 2020 More…

Release Date: 19th Jun 2020
Catalogue No: ELQ4840215
Label: Eloquence
Length: 2 hours 26 minutes

BBC Music Magazine

October 2020

Reissues Choice

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Bliss: Welcome the Queen

Work length6:38

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Arthur Bliss
Recorded: 1957-05-21
Recording Venue: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London

Bliss: Things to Come

Work length15:08

$6.60

$9.00

London Symphony Orchestra
Arthur Bliss
Recorded: 1957-04-30
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

1. Ballet

Track length3:35

$1.10

$1.50

2. Attack

Track length2:07

$1.10

$1.50

3. Pestilence

Track length2:16

$1.10

$1.50

4. Reconstruction

Track length1:54

$1.10

$1.50

5. Machines

Track length1:29

$1.10

$1.50

6. March

Track length3:47

$1.10

$1.50

Bliss: A Colour Symphony, F. 106

Work length31:19

$4.40

$6.00

London Symphony Orchestra
Arthur Bliss
Recorded: 1955-11-24
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Purple. Andante maestoso

Track length6:39

$1.10

$1.50

Red. Allegro Vivace

Track length6:52

$1.10

$1.50

Blue. Gentle Flowing

Track length9:56

$1.10

$1.50

Green. Moderato

Track length7:52

$1.10

$1.50

Bliss: Introduction and Allegro

Work length11:31

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Arthur Bliss
Recorded: 1955-11-24
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Bliss: Baraza

Work length7:14

$1.10

$1.50

Eileen Joyce (piano)
National Symphony Orchestra
Muir Mathieson
Recorded: 1946-02-05
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Bliss: Violin Concerto, F. 111

Work length38:42

$3.30

$4.50

Alfredo Campoli (violin)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Arthur Bliss
Recorded: 1955-11-11
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

I. Allegro ma non troppo

Track length14:23

$1.10

$1.50

II. Scherzo. Vivo

Track length7:57

$1.10

$1.50

III. Introduzione. Allegro deciso in modo zingara

Track length16:22

$1.10

$1.50

Bliss: Theme and Cadenza for violin

Work length6:24

$1.10

$1.50

Alfredo Campoli (violin)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Arthur Bliss
Recorded: 1955-11-11
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Bliss: String Quartet No. 2 in F minor

Work length30:03

$4.40

$6.00

Griller Quartet (string quartet), Sidney Griller (violin), Jack O'Brien (violin), Philip Burton (viola), Colin Hampton (cello)
Recorded: 1950-10
Recording Venue: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

I. Allegro con spirito

Track length8:18

$1.10

$1.50

II. Sostenuto

Track length5:52

$1.10

$1.50

III. Vivo e con brio

Track length4:48

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Larghetto - Allegro

Track length11:05

$1.10

$1.50

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Bliss: The Decca Originals: a new collection of Decca recordings of Blisss music, including tracks previously unreleased on Decca CD as well as the complete version of the Violin Concerto with Alfredo Campoli. The career of Arthur Bliss was launched in London in the 1920s with provocative ensemble pieces such as Rout, but it was established by the Colour Symphony which Sir Edward Elgar invited him to write for the Three Choirs Festival. Bliss gradually became an establishment figure, appointed Master of the Queens Music in 1953 and a fluent maker of music celebrating Englishness (such as Welcome the Queen, 1954) at a time when notions of national identity were coming under scrutiny as never before. However, Bliss always retained something of the dashing provocateur about him, and his best music often had a terse and anguished quality such as the Introduction and Allegro which filled out the first LP of the Colour Symphony, or the score he wrote for the H.G. Wells film, Things to Come, or the Second String Quartet. These premiere, composer-conducted and -supervised recordings from the 1950s are reissued here, along with a genuine rarity, Baraza: a concertante movement for piano and orchestra crafted from the film music he wrote for Men of Two Worlds. In 1955 Bliss responded to a BBC commission with his most accomplished work in the concerto genre, written with the violinist Alfredo Campoli in mind. The premiere enjoyed a great success, and a Decca recording soon followed. However, the composer remained dissatisfied by the length of the concerto, and having recorded it complete, ensured that certain cuts were made for the first release. This missing material has been restored and the whole recording newly remastered, presenting on CD for the first time the complete score of the Concerto as its composer and first soloist recorded it. His music adds to any royal scene and makes us lift our hearts the higher Excellent stuff, and given us in rich and excellent recording. Gramophone, July 1954 (Welcome the Queen) [The Second Quartet] is superbly written and successfully achieves its intention. The music suits the character of the Grillers playing The recording is rather light on bass, but it accommodates successfully the fierce sforzandi in which the work abounds. The Record Guide, 1955 Campoli copes with the very difficult solo part as if it were childs play. Humphrey Searle, The Gramophone Record Review, June 1956 (Violin Concerto) Heard today, in this full-blooded performance under the composer, one is conscious of his disciplined exuberance at 30 years old. Gramophone, August 1956 (Colour Symphony) *FIRST CD RELEASE ON DECCA FIRST CD RELEASE OF ORIGINAL VERSION ON DECCA

Reviews

October 2020

This is a convenient, well-transferred compilation of some of the finest performances of music by a still-underrated composer. Bliss’s version of the Colour Symphony is better paced than many of its successors…A pity that this and the Introduction and Allegro missed being recorded in stereo, but the mono sound from 1955 is more than acceptable.

Sir Arthur Bliss: the Decca Originals

2 CDs

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