Fussell, Bliss, and the poems by Owen and Nichols

I. First do the assigned reading and listening for Tuesday (Fussell, Bliss, and the poems by Owen and Nichols)II. Questions (the “prompt”)As a way to end his choral symphony Morning Heroes, why do you think Bliss decided to set Wilfrid Owen’s poem as a recitation, whereas he set Robert Nichols’ poem as a choral song? Together these form what Bliss divided off as the fifth section (“V”) of his larger work. Does the progression from recitation to sung text work better than the opposite order? As for the two poems, why did Bliss put them in this order and not the reverse? Bliss could have chosen any poems to end Morning Heroes, but he chose these two especially, and he chose the order. The contrast is stark, since the Owen poem has only kettledrums accompanying a single speaking voice, whereas a large orchestra and double chorus are used to set the Nichols. However, Bliss brings some woodwind instruments in just before the final line of Owen’s poem, and the rest of the orchestra gradually joins. Why does Bliss set apart the final line of Owen’s poem that way, and why does he do so just at that moment? How is this transition appropriate? III. Although you are only assigned the last two sections of Morning Heroes, I have added all the movements to Spotify for your reference.