On Music

Sir Arthur Bliss (1891-1975) is described as a leading figure in British music for five decades, and one of the foremost British composers to emerge after World War I. His early works show the influence of Stravinsky and the French group "Les Six", and with works such as "The Colour Symphony", the symphony "Morning Heroes", the ballet "Checkmate" and the opera "The Olympians", he gained a position as a prominent member of the British musical establishment. He was made Master of the Queen's Musick in 1953. Bliss also wrote articles, reviews, lectures and broadcasts, on a variety of musical topics. His writings provide a commentary on 20th-century music in general and on the English Musical Renaissance in particular. This book contains a selection of his writings between 1920 and 1975. Arranged chronologically with biographical lists, the material ranges from self-analysis to a consideration of the place of music in modern society and could provide a source for study of the music of Bliss himself as well as of his contemporaries.Table of ContentPart 1 1920-1923: stray musings in Amsterdam; unexplained superstitions; recent works of Igor Stravinsky; recent works of Arnold Bax; reflections on three works of Eugene Goossens; what modern composition is aiming at; a short note on Stravinsky's orchestration; Henry Purcell; "The Shanty Book"; London leads in music; those damned films!; some aspects of the present musical situation. Part 2 1924-1934: Berners and Bax; liberties with "Carmen"; concerto for two pianos and orchestra; Myra Hess concert; music in America - an impression; welcome to Shoenberg!; Malipiero, lover of animals; inspiration; "Morning Heroes"; what broadcasting has done for music; a lonely figure in music; BBC Symphony Concerts. Part 3 Aspects of contemporary music (1934). Part 4 A musical pilgrimage of Britain (1935): westwards - Bath and Bristol; Cardiff and the Three Valleys; Shropshire; music in the Five Towns; four Lancashire towns; some West Riding choruses; Newcastle; Glasgow; southward; Cornwall; Ipswich and Norwich. Part 5 1936-1952: impressions and thanks; death on squares; broadcast music; modern English music; a musician returns to England; music in wartime; music policy; the case for live music; Bela Bartok; film music; grace notes on ballet; "Christopher Columbus"; concerto for two pianos and orchestra; "Things To Come"; String Quartet no.2; Verdi; proms concerts; some answer to some questions; is music useless? Part 6 1953-1962: "In the Quick Forge and Working-House of Thought"; Hindemith; Noel Mewton-Wood; "Music and Imagination"; concerto for violin and orchestra; "Meditations on a theme by John Blow"; "A Colour Symphony"; notes on a musical trip to the USSR; ouverture "Edinburgh"; on being Master of the Queen's Musick; Harold Brooke - an appreciation; writing music for the films; Arturo Toscanini; Edward Elgar; "The Olympians"; Ralph Vaughan Williams; "Tobias and the Angel"; reply to a work study officer; a personal reminiscence of Shostakovitch; the Royal Philharmonic Society 1813-1963. Part 7 1964-1975: a symphony of composers; great music should be seen as well as heard; "Hymn to Apollo"; "Discourse for Orchestra"; four aspects of music; a criticism of "Tobias and the Angel"; the conductor and the orchestra; Performing Right Society luncheon; "Triptych"; the musical profession; Royal College of Music prize-giving; "Metamorphic Variations"; "Shield of Faith"; a testament. Appendices: "The Apple of Discord"; Sonata for Viola and Piano.