Bliss: Suites from Adam Zero & Checkmate

After attending a tour of Diaghilev’s Ballets russes in London, composer Arthur Bliss developed a particular interest in this repertoire. He went on to compose two splendid ballet scores, still performed nowadays by the major British ballet companies. Adam Zero is a very somber work on human life cycle; Checkmate, as its title indicates, narrates the fight between Love and Death on a chessboard, each represented by a set of pieces. It was initially choreographed by Ninette de Valois, a former member of the Ballets russes.

The suites including the most captivating moments of these two underrated works are performed by modern British music advocate Vernon Handley.