Sir Arthur Bliss contributed two staples of the brass band repertoire - Kenilworth and The Belmont Variations, the enduring success of which inspired arrangers to turn to his other compositions, such as Eric Ball’s Four Dances from the ballet Checkmate and Phillip Littlemore’s suite from the film score for Things to Come. Three new arrangements have been made especially for this album: Robert Childs’s suite from the ballet Adam Zero and Michael Halstenson’s arrangements of Welcome the Queen and music from The Royal Palaces. Collectively this programme reflects the essence of Bliss’s compositional style: the inherent drama of his scores for film, ballet, and television and his flair for the ceremonial, especially in the context of his position as Master of the Queen’s Music.

Black Dyke Band, tracing its continuous history back to 1855, is the most recorded band in the world, having produced a discography of more than 350 recordings to date. It is also the most successful contesting band in the world, having won the European Championships thirteen times, the British Open thirty times and the National Championships of Great Britain twenty-four times. In 2023, the Band appointed the conductor John Wilson as its Honorary President.