CD41 is proud to announce an important new addition to our catalogue of archive music and spoken word recordings from the Great War (1914-18). Artists Rifles (Vol. 1) is a 75 minute collection of Great War poetry and prose read by the authors themselves, together with music by major composers who served in the conflict and wrote in memory of it. Among the writers who read from their own classic war literature are Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, Edmund Blunden, David Jones, Edgell Rickword and Laurence Binyon. These rare recordings were made between 1930 and 1970. Wilfred Owen is also represented in an extract from the choral symphony Morning Heroes by Arthur Bliss. The war composers include Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, Maurice Ravel, Edward Elgar, Arthur Bliss, Ivor Gurney and Ernest Moeran. Two of them, George Butterworth and Cecil Coles, would be killed on active service. All material on this definitive 75 minute CD has been digitally remastered, and the booklet features detailed historical notes by noted author James Hayward. The release date marks the 90th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War on 4 August 1914. Full tracklist: Poetry and Prose: Siegfried Sassoon July 31st 1914; Robert Graves Dawn Bombardment; David Jones in Parenthesis (Pt 3); Siegfried Sassoon Attack; Edmund Blunden Concert Party, Busseboom; Edgell Rickword Winter Warfare; the Soldier Addresses His Body; Laurence Binyon for the Fallen. Music: George Butterworth English Idyll No. 2; Edward Elgar Carillon; Maurice Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin (Prelude); Ralph Vaughan Williams Prelude (Sinfonia Antarctica); Gustav Holst Mars - Bringer of War; Ernest Moeran Lonely Waters; Ralph Vaughan Williams Pastoral Symphony (2nd Movement); Ivor Gurney in Flanders; Arthur Bliss Morning Heroes (Spring Offensive); Cecil Coles Cortege.
