ARTHUR BLISS (1891-1975): The Beatitudes for Soprano, Tenor, Chorus, Orchestra and Organ, Introduction and Allegro, God Save the Queen (arr. Bliss - First Recording).

Description: The Beatitudes is a 44-minute cantata which was commissioned for the same event at Coventry Cathedral in 1961 as Britten's War Requiem. Christ's words are interleaved with poems by three 17th-century metaphysical poets and by Dylan Thomas' recently written "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" in music ranging from sweetly supplicatory to fiercely aggressive. Only live mono tapings have been available previously. Also unavailable otherwise is the virtuosic 12-minute Introduction and Allegro of 1926 (rev. 1937) dedicated to Stokowski and inspired by the powerful sound of American orchestras post-World War I. Texts included. Emily Birsan (soprano), Ben Johnson (tenor), BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra; Andrew Davis.