Knowledge (XXG)

A Colour Symphony

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in which he read of the symbolic meanings attached to certain colours; this gave him the notion of writing a work about colours. He attempted to give each movement a character corresponding to these meanings, but without attempting to depict the colours themselves. Bliss dedicated the symphony to
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on 7 September 1922, was conducted by the composer. It was not well received at first, due to poor preparation. The work uses a large orchestra, but the platform was so taken up with the chorus required for other works also being performed, that several instruments had to be omitted. Elgar
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The symphony is scored for 3 flutes (one doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, double bassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 2 tympanists, cymbals, 2 harps and strings.
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Bliss decided to write a symphony, but was at first undecided what the theme or character of the work would be. He could not get started for some weeks. One day, by chance, he came across a book on
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attended, but found it "disconcertingly modern". It nevertheless entered the repertoire and has been recorded various times, although it is now an infrequent visitor to concert platforms.
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for wordless chorus, which was not given its second performance until his centenary year 70 years later, in 1992. Goossens wrote a piece called
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of the first two movements. He conducted the revised work himself in a recording with the
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slow, with chords used to depict the lapping of water against a moored boat or a pier
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for chorus and orchestra. Elgar's own contribution was his orchestration of
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Hull, Robert H. (July 1, 1931). "Bliss's 'Colour' Symphony Reconsidered."
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A short extract from the 'Red' movement was used as the opening music to
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The British artist Kevin Laycock created a visual piece called
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Four Movements in Colour: Recent Paintings by Kevin Laycock
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a glittering, spiky and percussive scherzo, reminiscent of
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movement was used as the signature tune of the televised "
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The last movement, "Green", was separately published as
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slow and majestic in pace and ceremonial in character
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Harvard University Press. p.  320:Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 314:A theme from towards the end of the 631:The eMusic Dozen: British Composers 49:was written to be performed at the 762:, liner notes to the recording by 14: 361:was created, with music based on 21:, Op. 24, F. 106, was written by 1029: 1028: 783:, vol. 61, no. 727, p. 200. 447:CHAN 8503, 1987, Digital Stereo. 387:as a direct response to Bliss's 100:The first performance, with the 499:The Harvard dictionary of music 475:8.553460, 1996, Digital Stereo. 607:"Review: British Choral Music" 461:NI 5294, 1991, Digital Stereo. 411:"Ace of Clubs" ACL 239, 1964, 276:(which has been described as " 1: 469:English Northern Philharmonia 83:Fantasia and Fugue in C minor 1059:Compositions by Arthur Bliss 496:Randel, Don Michael (2003). 455:BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra 965:(1936 science fiction film) 732:September 30, 2006, at the 330:In 1932, Bliss revised the 57:, at the invitation of Sir 1085: 781:The Monthly Musical Record 1025: 944:String Quartet in A major 824: 768:London Symphony Orchestra 672:. MusicWeb International. 657:. MusicWeb International. 620:Romanticism in Retrospect 609:. 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Index

Arthur Bliss
orchestra
Three Choirs Festival
Gloucester
Edward Elgar
Herbert Howells
Eugene Goossens
Johann Sebastian Bach
heraldry
Adrian Boult
London Symphony Orchestra
Gloucester Cathedral
Amethysts
Pageantry
Royalty
Death
Stravinsky
Rubies
Wine
Revelry
Furnaces
Courage
Magic
Sapphires
Water
Skies
Loyalty
Melancholy
fugue
Schoenbergian

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