Arthur Bliss

Arthur Bliss studied at Cambridge and with Stanford at the Royal College of Music * After First World War, works showed influence of Stravinsky and Les Six, attracting some notoriety * In 1920s style broadened into more Elgarian vein, with such works as A Colour Symphony establishing him as a major figure * Collaborated with Ninette de Valois on Checkmate and with Robert Helpmann on two further ballets * In 1935 composed the first great film score for Korda's version of H.G.Wells's Things to Come * Many popular works for chorus and for brass band * During Second World War was Director of Music at BBC, laying foundations for the future Third Programme and Radio 3 * Appointed Master of the Queen's Music in 1953

Works by Arthur Bliss include:
A Colour Symphony (1921-22, rev.1932) for orchestra
Introduction and Allegro (1926, rev.1937) for orchestra
Conquest of the Air: Concert Suite (1937) for orchestra
Seven American Poems (1940) for low voice and piano

"...the foundation of all music is emotion...called into being by the sudden awareness of actual beauty seen, or by the vision of beauty vividly apprehended...If I were to define my musical goal, it would be to try for an emotion truly and clearly felt, and caught forever in a formal perfection." — Sir Arthur Bliss