The Maggini Quartet’s
series of British Chamber Music for
Naxos continues with a third volume
of music by Arthur Bliss. To date their
coverage also includes Bax, Bridge,
Britten, Elgar, Moeran, Vaughan Williams
and Walton. At bargain price this is
a veritable treasure trove. The Magginis
seem to be incapable of making a dud
disc and this latest offering is no
exception.
Bliss wrote two numbered
string quartets. He also withdrew an
early unnumbered quartet in A major
which was written whilst serving on
the Western Front. Here we have his
last in the genre, written for the Griller
Quartet not long before he became Master
of the Queen’s Musick. The A major work
and No. 1 are part of volume 1 of this
series, and there seems to have been
another unnumbered one written in 1923-4
which, as far as I am aware, is unrecorded
(see links below to volume 1 and an
article on Bliss from which a catalogue
of his works may be accessed).
In four movements and
lasting just over half an hour, the
basic format of the second quartet is
almost classical and certainly breaks
no new ground for the mid-20th
century. The composer considered it
his most substantial chamber work. I
don’t find this as obviously "British"
as the chamber music of any the composers
listed above. Bliss was apparently half-American
and married a lady from across the Atlantic
but there’s not much obvious American
influence either. What is not in doubt
is that the work is well-crafted and
melodious. The first movement is both
dramatic and spirited. It is followed
by a fairly short slow movement marked
sostenuto. The third movement
is, in effect, a scherzo (but not marked
as such), lively with a quizzical ending.
The finale starts with a plaintive slow
introduction with a notable viola solo.
This leads to an Allegro that asks many
questions before partially resolving
them in a series of chords, the last
of which is in a major key.
Bliss’s Clarinet Quintet
was written nearly twenty years earlier.
It was inspired by Frederick Thurston
who gave the first performance at the
composer’s home with the Kutcher Quartet.
Although dedicated to fellow composer
Bernard van Dieren, it has also been
considered a tribute to his brother,
a clarinettist, who was killed in the
first world war. Better known than the
quartets, it is widely considered to
be one of his finest works. Opening
with a magical clarinet solo, the first
movement is poignant at a moderate tempo.
The second movement is a kind of scherzo
full of contrasting moods. This is followed
by a deeply expressive adagietto (now
where have I heard that before?), actually
the longest part of the work. In the
finale the tension is released and doubts
are only intermittent before a jaunty
conclusion is reached. David Campbell
gives a fine performance on the A clarinet,
apparently specified by the composer
for its silkier tones.
What can one say about
the Maggini’s playing? Probably not
much that hasn’t been said before. Accurate,
alive, beautifully integrated, natural,
invariably capturing the spirit of the
music. As ever, they are aided by an
excellent recording with just the right
ambience. Potton Hall is a very suitable
recording location for such music and
it is sad to hear that the owner, Alan
Foster, died whilst this recording was
being made. It is dedicated to him.
The splendid picture
on the booklet cover is called Sunset
at Herne Hill through the smoke of London
and was painted by John Ruskin in 1876.
Inside there is an excellent essay on
Bliss and the music by Andrew Burn.
Somehow I managed to miss, and need
to catch up with, the second volume
in this series (see links below) containing
the Oboe Quintet, Piano Quartet and
Viola Sonata. Certainly, this disc lives
up to expectations and is not to be
missed.
Patrick C Waller
Links
Article on Bliss
http://www.musicweb-international.com/bliss
Previous volumes in the series
Volume 1:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Aug02/Bliss_Quartets.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Sept02/Bliss_quartets.htm
Volume 2:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/Oct03/Bliss_piano_quartet.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/Dec03/Bliss_Piano_Quartet.htm
Maggini Quartet 
