BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Michael Seal - Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F. 6 & Metamorphic Variations, F. 122 (2025) [Hi-Res]
Artist: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Seal
Title: Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F. 6 & Metamorphic Variations, F. 122
Year Of Release: 2025
Label: Chandos
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks) / 24bit-96kHz FLAC (tracks+booklet)
Total Time: 01:19:44
Total Size: 308 MB / 1.35 GB
WebSite: Album Preview
Tracklist:Title: Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F. 6 & Metamorphic Variations, F. 122
Year Of Release: 2025
Label: Chandos
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks) / 24bit-96kHz FLAC (tracks+booklet)
Total Time: 01:19:44
Total Size: 308 MB / 1.35 GB
WebSite: Album Preview
1. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: I. Overture (2:44)
2. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: II. The Street (2:28)
3. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: III. The Girl Suicide (2:47)
4. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: IV. The Young Lovers (1:33)
5. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: V. The Prostitute and the Boy (0:57)
6. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: VI. The Official (0:55)
7. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: VII. The Discovery of the Suicide’s body (1:28)
8. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: VIII. The Suicide’s Body is brought in (2:22)
9. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: IX. The Stranger (3:04)
10. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: X. Dance of Deliverance (3:58)
11. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XI. The Official and the Prostitute (1:51)
12. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XII. Intermezzo (4:50)
13. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XIII. The Slander Campaign (1:34)
14. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XIV. The Conversion of the Prostitute (1:56)
15. Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XV. Finale. The Killing of the Stranger (4:17)
16. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: I. Elements. Larghetto tranquillo (3:31)
17. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: II. Ballet. One in a bar (1:30)
18. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: III. Assertion. Allegro energico (2:04)
19. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: [IIIb]. Contrasts. Very slow (2:52)
20. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: [IIIc]. Children’s March. Alla marcia (2:23)
21. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: IV. Speculation. Very slow (2:04)
22. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: V. Interjections. Andante sostenuto (4:00)
23. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: VI. Scherzo 1. Vivo (2:36)
24. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: VII. Contemplation. Larghetto (2:18)
25. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: VIII. Polonaise. Alla polacca (3:30)
26. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: IX. Funeral Processions. Larghetto (4:04)
27. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: X. Cool Interlude. Andante molto tranquillo (2:53)
28. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XI. Scherzo 2. Vivo (1:42)
29. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XII. Duet. Pochissimo più mosso (2:39)
30. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XIII. Dedication to G.D. and A.D. Allegro moderato (0:49)
31. Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XIV. Affirmation. Andante maestoso (4:19)
Perhaps now overshadowed by his earlier ballet Checkmate, Miracle in the Gorbals was a tremendous hit for Bliss and the Sadler’s Wells Ballet company. First performed in 1944, it was repeated in every season through to 1950. Based on a scenario by Michael Benthall (inspired by Jerome K. Jerome and Dostoyevsky), the ballet features the appearance of a Christ-like figure amid Glasgow’s most infamous slum. This mysterious Stranger performs a miracle, reviving the Girl Suicide, who in despair had earlier thrown herself into the Clyde. The locals rejoice, but an Official (Benthall had in mind a priest) is jealous and, after a failed attempt to cast doubt on the virtue of the Stranger via the local Prostitute, has him slashed to death by a razor gang. Bliss’s score employs a wide range of styles and harmonic language, and also exploits Leitmotifs for the principal characters.
Originally titled Variations for Orchestra, Bliss composed the Metamorphic Variations towards the end of his life, during a late surge of creativity. Two of the sixteen movements were dropped before the first performance (given by the LSO and Vernon Handley in 1973) and for some reason were not re-instated at any of the later performances of the work until that given by Michael Seal and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in February 2025, the day before they made this recording.
Originally titled Variations for Orchestra, Bliss composed the Metamorphic Variations towards the end of his life, during a late surge of creativity. Two of the sixteen movements were dropped before the first performance (given by the LSO and Vernon Handley in 1973) and for some reason were not re-instated at any of the later performances of the work until that given by Michael Seal and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in February 2025, the day before they made this recording.
![Shutaro Noguchi & the Roadhouse Band - On The Run (2025) [Hi-Res]](https://www.dibpic.com/uploads/posts/2025-10/1760968895_a2264138982_10.jpg "Shutaro Noguchi & the Roadhouse Band - On The Run (2025) [Hi-Res]")
![Independent Orchestra - IO 2 (2025) [Hi-Res]](https://www.dibpic.com/uploads/posts/2025-10/1760866848_a3977691271_10.jpg "Independent Orchestra - IO 2 (2025) [Hi-Res]")