MUSIC
IT seems to me that Arthur Bliss is one of those composers who is either inspired or nothing. He has little capacity for musical maintenance; patching up, making do with poor material. keeping going without ideas are not his line. He is too honest and downright. When he is on form his music is as green as spring grass, it swaggers gaily, makes love to you with an endearing spontaneity and its manner is noble, virile and brilliant. But when inspiration goes out the door, windy rhetoric and common sentimentality arc not far away. In the past Bliss has often suffered from finale trouble; in this new violin concerto he has, as it were, finale trouble in every movement. About half- way through each the listener begins to realise that the material is not good enough and that the working-out is no better. Moments of fascinating texture, the lithe scherzo and the remarkable equilibrium be- tween the virtuoso solo part and the orchestra
The work is dedicated to Campoli and last Wednesday he surely earned it. Sir Malcolm Sargent and the BBC Orchestra gave a first-rate accompaniment. This concert was the first of a season of seven to be given between now and June 1 in the Royal Festival Hall by the BBC.
J. A.
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