Checkmate (Bliss)

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Checkmate (Failure and checkmate) is music for ballet written by the British composer Arthur Bliss (1891-1975) in 1936-1937 on a choreography of Ninette de Valois.

The composer was interested as of the end of the First World War in the ballets, stimulated by the representations of the Russian Ballet, with Serge Diaghilev, in London. Bliss wrote nearly 10 partitions for the dance, without counting some musical interludes for plays, Checkmate remaining one of his most succeessful works.

Creation takes place with the théâtre des Champs-Élysées on June 15, 1937 with the Lamoureux Orchestra concerts under the direction of Charles Lamoureux. Among the dancers on scene were Margot Fonteyn. A continuation for orchestra was published a little later as well as a reduction for piano.

The ballet puts in scene part the challenges opposing the white, symbolizing Love, and the black, symbolizing Death. The prologue introduces the two protagonists and the part ends in the defeat of the black.

Work includes 12 parts and its execution takes a little less than one hour.