Meditations on a Theme of John Blow - Final Movement

This is one of Arthur Bliss' most popular orchestral works. Sir Adrian Boult chose it as one of his eight selections in his appearance on the BBC Radio programme "Desert Island Discs" in 1979, just three years before his death. "The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's connection with the work goes back even further than these recordings for it was a Feeney Trust commission for the CBSO that gave Bliss the opportunity to write the work in the first place and they gave its first performance in 1955. Bliss was inspired by coming across a book of anthems by the English composer, John Blow (1649-1708). He was struck in particular by the tune in Blow's setting of Psalm 23, 'The Lord is my Shepherd.' The resulting work could be called a double meditation, for it meditates on both the tune itself and on the Psalm and several of the eight sections of the piece are related directly to a section of the Psalm. It has always seemed to me that the music often inhabits the same spiritual domain and sound world as does Vaughan Williams's Pilgrim's Progress. But then we have passed through the Valley and the trombones solemnly intone the start of Blow's tune. The melody is moved from voice to voice and register to register within the orchestra while the strings and woodwind dance joyfully round the theme in syncopated rhythms. Then at last the full brass intone the tune in all its glory, busily decorated by the upper strings. It's a moment worth waiting for, as Blow's melody is revealed, at its apotheosis, as Yeoman English, sturdy, foursquare and reliable. It's a stirring moment and Rignold and his players make it count. Bliss has one more ace up his sleeve, however. Instead of ending the work in an obvious blaze of glory he eases back and brings the music full circle to the gentle, pastoral mood of the opening. There is, in his words, "one more premonition of peril, but the final chord brings complete assurance." John Quinn at Musicweb. Read more: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Feb08/Bliss_SRCD254.htm#ixzz2PRQqwL3v City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Hugo Rignold A Lyrita Recording LYRITA SRCD.254