CHAN 10380 Book 2.Indd

CHAN 10380 Bliss Concerto for Violin and Orchestra A Colour Symphony Lydia Mordkovitch BBC National Orchestra of Wales Richard Hickox29 CCHANHAN 1103800380 bbookook 22.indd.indd 228-298-29 330/7/060/7/06 112:33:322:33:32 Sir Arthur Bliss (1891–1975) A Colour Symphony (1921–22, revised 1932) 31:48 Dedicated to Adrian Boult 1 I Purple. Andante maestoso – Tempo più mosso – Tempo I – Tempo più mosso – Tempo I – Più tranquillo 6:53 2 II Red. Allegro vivace – Più animato – L’istesso tempo – Scherzando – Più tranquillo – Tempo I – Più animato – Scherzando 6:55 3 III Blue. Gently fl owing 9:34 © David Farrell/Lebrecht Music & Arts Photo Library 4 IV Green. Moderato – Tempo più animato – L’istesso tempo – Tempo più animato – Largamente 8:27 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1953–55)* 41:47 To Alfredo Campoli 5 I Allegro ma non troppo – Più animato – L’istesso tempo – Più agitato – Tempo I – Tranquillo – Più animato – Tempo I – Più animato – Molto tranquillo – Moderato – Tempo I – Più mosso – Animato 15:41 6 II Vivo – Tranquillo – Vivo – Meno mosso – Animando – Vivo 8:51 Sir Arthur Bliss, c. 1968 3 CCHANHAN 1103800380 bbookook 22.indd.indd 22-3-3 330/7/060/7/06 112:30:062:30:06 Sir Arthur Bliss (1891–1975) A Colour Symphony (1921–22, revised 1932) 31:48 Dedicated to Adrian Boult 1 I Purple. Andante maestoso – Tempo più mosso – Tempo I – Tempo più mosso – Tempo I – Più tranquillo 6:53 2 II Red. Allegro vivace – Più animato – L’istesso tempo – Scherzando – Più tranquillo – Tempo I – Più animato – Scherzando 6:55 3 III Blue. Gently fl owing 9:34 © David Farrell/Lebrecht Music & Arts Photo Library 4 IV Green. Moderato – Tempo più animato – L’istesso tempo – Tempo più animato – Largamente 8:27 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1953–55)* 41:47 To Alfredo Campoli 5 I Allegro ma non troppo – Più animato – L’istesso tempo – Più agitato – Tempo I – Tranquillo – Più animato – Tempo I – Più animato – Molto tranquillo – Moderato – Tempo I – Più mosso – Animato 15:41 6 II Vivo – Tranquillo – Vivo – Meno mosso – Animando – Vivo 8:51 Sir Arthur Bliss, c. 1968 3 CCHANHAN 1103800380 bbookook 22.indd.indd 22-3-3 330/7/060/7/06 112:30:062:30:06 Bliss: A Colour Symphony/Violin Concerto 7 III Introduzione. Andante sostenuto – A Colour Symphony and the Violin Concerto Goossens. In As I Remember Bliss recalled Allegro deciso in modo zingaro – Più mosso (scherzando) – are both excellent examples of the nature of that ‘the luncheon went a bit awkwardly with Subito largamente – Cadenza – Andante molto tranquillo – the inspiration behind the works of Sir Arthur Elgar at his most nervous’, and that it was not Animato – Ancora più vivo 17:12 Bliss, as described by the composer in his until coffee was served that the purpose of autobiography As I Remember (London, 1970): the lunch was revealed, Elgar explaining that TT 73:35 I have always found it easier to write he wanted three young composers, Howells, ‘dramatic’ music than ‘pure’ music. I like the Goossens and Bliss himself, to write works for stimulus of words, or a theatrical setting, a the Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester in 1922. Lydia Mordkovitch violin* colourful occasion or the collaboration of Bliss now had to decide what to write but, BBC National Orchestra of Wales a great player. There is only a little of the as he explained in his autobiography, he was Lesley Hatfi eld leader spider about me, spinning his own web from stuck: Richard Hickox his inner being. I need what Henry James For weeks I sat before a blank sheet of termed a ‘trouvaille’ or a ‘donnée’. manuscript paper trying to make up my A Colour Symphony, Bliss’s fi rst extended mind what shape, what character this new large-scale work, owes its instigation to Elgar big work should have. who had encouraged Bliss after they met in This was where his Jamesian inspiration came 1912. During the First World War, in which into play: Bliss served with bravery and distinction, One day… I picked up a book on heraldry the two composers corresponded and one and started reading about the symbolic of Bliss’s treasured possessions was an meanings associated with the primary autographed miniature score of Cockaigne colours. At once I saw the possibility of which had arrived at the front in the fi rst week so characterising the four movements of of the Battle of the Somme. Over it Elgar a symphony, that each should express a had scrawled the inscription ‘Good Luck’. In colour as I personally perceived it. 1920 Elgar invited a number of musicians to Seizing on this discovery, Bliss designated lunch, including Adrian Boult, W.H. Reed (the the movements to evoke the heraldic nature leader of the London Symphony Orchestra) of Purple, Red, Blue and Green respectively. and the composers John Ireland and Eugene The premiere at Gloucester Cathedral on 4 5 CCHANHAN 1103800380 bbookook 22.indd.indd 44-5-5 330/7/060/7/06 112:30:072:30:07 Bliss: A Colour Symphony/Violin Concerto 7 III Introduzione. Andante sostenuto – A Colour Symphony and the Violin Concerto Goossens. In As I Remember Bliss recalled Allegro deciso in modo zingaro – Più mosso (scherzando) – are both excellent examples of the nature of that ‘the luncheon went a bit awkwardly with Subito largamente – Cadenza – Andante molto tranquillo – the inspiration behind the works of Sir Arthur Elgar at his most nervous’, and that it was not Animato – Ancora più vivo 17:12 Bliss, as described by the composer in his until coffee was served that the purpose of autobiography As I Remember (London, 1970): the lunch was revealed, Elgar explaining that TT 73:35 I have always found it easier to write he wanted three young composers, Howells, ‘dramatic’ music than ‘pure’ music. I like the Goossens and Bliss himself, to write works for stimulus of words, or a theatrical setting, a the Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester in 1922. Lydia Mordkovitch violin* colourful occasion or the collaboration of Bliss now had to decide what to write but, BBC National Orchestra of Wales a great player. There is only a little of the as he explained in his autobiography, he was Lesley Hatfi eld leader spider about me, spinning his own web from stuck: Richard Hickox his inner being. I need what Henry James For weeks I sat before a blank sheet of termed a ‘trouvaille’ or a ‘donnée’. manuscript paper trying to make up my A Colour Symphony, Bliss’s fi rst extended mind what shape, what character this new large-scale work, owes its instigation to Elgar big work should have. who had encouraged Bliss after they met in This was where his Jamesian inspiration came 1912. During the First World War, in which into play: Bliss served with bravery and distinction, One day… I picked up a book on heraldry the two composers corresponded and one and started reading about the symbolic of Bliss’s treasured possessions was an meanings associated with the primary autographed miniature score of Cockaigne colours. At once I saw the possibility of which had arrived at the front in the fi rst week so characterising the four movements of of the Battle of the Somme. Over it Elgar a symphony, that each should express a had scrawled the inscription ‘Good Luck’. In colour as I personally perceived it. 1920 Elgar invited a number of musicians to Seizing on this discovery, Bliss designated lunch, including Adrian Boult, W.H. Reed (the the movements to evoke the heraldic nature leader of the London Symphony Orchestra) of Purple, Red, Blue and Green respectively. and the composers John Ireland and Eugene The premiere at Gloucester Cathedral on 4 5 CCHANHAN 1103800380 bbookook 22.indd.indd 44-5-5 330/7/060/7/06 112:30:072:30:07 7 September 1922, given by the London march, the second a bubbling theme for winds. The premiere took place at the Royal Festival quality of recapitulation, which is confi rmed by Symphony Orchestra with Bliss conducting, In a brilliantly conceived conclusion the two Hall, London on 11 May 1955, with the BBC the subsequent return of the second subject, was not a happy affair for the composer, subjects are combined, with monumental Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm played now by the orchestra. The coda, based for just before the concert was to begin dissonant harmonies, six timpani hammering Sargent. Soon after, Campoli recorded the on the ‘fanfare’ idea, drives the movement to a someone realised that there was not out the rhythm of the wind theme, and a work, with Bliss himself conducting the London dramatic close. suffi cient room on the stage for both the ringing piquant fi nal chord. Philharmonic Orchestra. The second movement is a complete choir and the full orchestra, and some vital Alas Elgar, Bliss’s mentor, thoroughly The concerto, Bliss wrote in an article for contrast, a fl eet, vivacious scherzo, Bliss players were ejected. Nevertheless, the work, disliked the work. The critic of The Times, The Musical Times, ‘conspicuously displays having had Berlioz’s ‘Queen Mab’ scherzo which demonstrates the dual infl uences at however, wrote perceptively: ‘One feels a razor- the soloist as protagonist throughout’, and from Roméo et Juliette in mind whilst he the time of Elgar and Stravinsky on Bliss, edge mind is at work’. Indeed it is and what it exploits the qualities for which Campoli wrote it. From its nimble, airy main theme made a strong critical impression and fi rmly Bliss wrote about the fi nale holds true for the was renowned, the beauty of his tone (which played by the soloist, it gallops along in established his reputation as a leading British whole work, for A Colour Symphony is young was likened to bel canto) and his phrasing.

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