---

Programme Note

Bliss made major contributions to almost every musical genre, but these days he is remembered especially for his music for the film Things to Come (1935), cinema’s first great film score, and for his ballets.

Checkmate (1937) was one of the most successful productions mounted by the Vic-Wells Ballet either side of the Second World War. The scenario is based on a game of chess between Love and Death. The Black Queen plays the role of ‘femme fatale’ and at the end is left in possession of the board. Love has been conquered by Death. Constant Lambert, who conducted most of the early performances, described the music as being full of “gaiety, vigour and abandon”.

Eric Ball made his superb transcription of four of the dances for the National Brass Band Championships of 1978: Dance of the Four Knights; The Red Knight’s Mazurka; Ceremony of the Red Bishops; and the finale – Checkmate.

© Paul Hindmarsh