Sir Arthur Bliss

rojo

(Ret)
SIR ARTHUR BLISS - A COLOUR SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA: BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES
CONDUCTOR: RICHARD HICKOX

Yesterday I heard 'Purple', the first movement of Bliss`s Colour Symphony on the radio, and I really enjoyed it. Apparently Bliss was influenced by Stravinsky and Debussy, so no wonder. Here are the movement titles-

1. Purple
2. Red
3. Blue
4. Green

So I went on an Arthur Bliss music hunt. I found and listened to parts of these works-

Pastoral - for clarinet and piano
Royal Fanfares - for brass ensemble
Lady of Shallot - ballet
Introduction and Allegro - orchestral work
Things to Come - orchestral film music

Lots of good things! Anyone know/like this composer`s work(s)?
 

Art Rock

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Yup, I have 3 CD's, plus some compositions scattered over mixed CD's. The three Bliss CD's are:

- A colour symphony/Checkmate suite (Chandos)
- Cello concerto/Music for strings/Two studies (Naxos)
- Shield of faith/Mar Portugues/Birthday song/River music/The world is changed (Chandos)

Less pastoral than most of his contemporaries - interesting composer!
 

Art Rock

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
The colour symphony is now featured in my blog, including a medium quality MP3 link to listen to it. Recommended.
 

Art Rock

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
You can download the winrar programme free of charge on various sites. It is a trial version, but even after expiry, it still packs and unpacks.
 

rojo

(Ret)
Actually, I used to have it before my pc was repaired, and I couldn`t get it to work then either... I`ll have to look into it.
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
The colour symphony is a great work. I own a mini score of it, in particular his orchestral writting and sense of orchestration is very "impressionist" in feel (like Ravel and Debussy). I remember in 1988 the BBC National Orchestra of Wales played it in a concert as for Australia's bicentenary. I'm checkmate, however. I own about 3 different recordings of it and wish one day, that my hometown orchestra will play it (Sydney Symphony).
 
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