Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals; Metamorphic Variations (complete) BBC Philharmonic Orchestra & Michael Seal

• Arthur Bliss (1891 - 1975): Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6:
• 1 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: I. Overture 02:43
• 2 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: II. The Street 02:28
• 3 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: III. The Girl Suicide 02:47
• 4 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: IV. The Young Lovers 01:33
• 5 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: V. The Prostitute and the Boy 00:57
• 6 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: VI. The Official 00:55
• 7 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: VII. The Discovery of the Suicide’s body 01:27
• 8 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: VIII. The Suicide’s Body is brought in 02:22
• 9 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: IX. The Stranger 03:03
• 10 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: X. Dance of Deliverance 03:57
• 11 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XI. The Official and the Prostitute 01:50
• 12 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XII. Intermezzo 04:49
• 13 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XIII. The Slander Campaign 01:34
• 14 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XIV. The Conversion of the Prostitute 01:56
• 15 Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6: XV. Finale. The Killing of the Stranger 04:17
• Metamorphic Variations, F 122:
• 16 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: I. Elements. Larghetto tranquillo 03:30
• 17 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: II. Ballet. One in a bar 01:30
• 18 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: III. Assertion. Allegro energico 02:04
• 19 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: [IIIb]. Contrasts. Very slow 02:52
• 20 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: [IIIc]. Children’s March. Alla marcia 02:23
• 21 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: IV. Speculation. Very slow 02:04
• 22 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: V. Interjections. Andante sostenuto 04:00
• 23 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: VI. Scherzo 1. Vivo 02:36
• 24 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: VII. Contemplation. Larghetto 02:17
• 25 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: VIII. Polonaise. Alla polacca 03:29
• 26 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: IX. Funeral Processions. Larghetto 04:03
• 27 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: X. Cool Interlude. Andante molto tranquillo 02:52
• 28 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XI. Scherzo 2. Vivo 01:42
• 29 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XII. Duet. Pochissimo più mosso 02:38
• 30 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XIII. Dedication to G.D. and A.D. Allegro moderato 00:48
• 31 Bliss: Metamorphic Variations, F 122: XIV. Affirmation. Andante maestoso 04:18
• Total Runtime 01:19:44

Info for Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals; Metamorphic Variations (complete)

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.

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Michael Seal, conductor

Michael Seal
has worked with many of the UK’s finest orchestras, and his in-depth knowledge of orchestras from an insider’s position (he was a violinist with the CBSO early in his career) gives him a unique perspective and allows him to quickly build rapport and trust with the orchestras he works with. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and he has built a reputation for delivering outstanding results with great charm — often on a typically British tight rehearsal schedule.

Since 2005, he has conducted the CBSO over 300 times as either Assistant or Associate Conductor, including his conducting debut at the BBC Proms in 2023 with the Proms’ first ever Bollywood concert.

Michael is frequently invited as guest conductor with all five BBC orchestras, as well as the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Ulster Orchestra.

Internationally, he has conducted the Brussels Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Joensuu City Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra, Kuopio Symphony Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Académica del Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón, Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, both RTÉ Concert and National Symphony Orchestras and the WDR Funkhausorchester Köln.

Michael has a special bond with the CBSO Youth Orchestra, conducting them on numerous occasions and being involved with them since their foundation. He is also Artistic Advisor and Conductor of the CBSO Youth Orchestra Academy, a chamber orchestra formed in 2007.

His love of opera has led to critically acclaimed performances of Puccini’s Il Trittico at Birmingham Conservatoire. He has also assisted both Sakari Oramo and Andris Nelsons in opera performances of Peter Grimes, Carmen, Der Rosenkavalier, Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde, and The Flying Dutchman. Michael is also a champion of lesser-known British composers such as Bantock, Bax, and York Bowen, as well as film music.

During the global pandemic of 2020-21, Michael launched his podcast a mic on the podium, a weekly interview with another prominent conductor. The podcast has been highly successful, gaining rave reviews and — thanks to its unique format — it has been added to the National Sound Archive at the British Library. In 2025, his recording of Adrian Sutton’s Violin Concerto with Fenella Humphreys and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra was awarded the BBC Music Magazine Premiere Award.

This season sees him return to Brussels Philharmonic, Kuopio Symphony, London Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and WDR Funkhaus orchestras. He will make his debut in 2025/26 with Orquestra do Algarve, Bath Philharmonia, Orchestre national Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Beethoven Orchester Bonn. Following a successful debut with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester in June 2025, he was immediately invited to conduct them again in June 2027. He will also make his debut with the Belgian National Orchestra in January 2027.

Booklet for Bliss: Miracle in the Gorbals; Metamorphic Variations (complete)