sir Malcolm Arnold

[Mirror Image]

Man, I love Arnold's 7th! I love it's kaleidoscopic, demented musical demeanor. I think it's one of his most disturbing works and gives a glimpse into Arnold's psyche as the 9th also seems to show another side of the composer that we hadn't heard previously.

[amw]

7 is the only one I really like. It's kind of a musical equivalent to Sartre's Nausea, capturing the claustrophobia and absurdity of existence and the meaninglessness of musical signifiers. I mean he didn't think of it that way himself (actually it encodes the names of his children as musical ciphers and incorporates homages to them, he may have seen it as an attempt at reconciliation) but his mental state at the time evidently made him unusually receptive to such an existentialist and even nihilistic view of music. Even the "triumphant" final F major cadence, utterly conventional in nature, does not arise from the music itself and is simply arbitrarily placed after the point where Arnold stopped writing. After musical syntax and the language of "light music" that Arnold wrote in have been systematically broken down for 31 minutes, their sudden reassertion is not only meaningless but violent and shocking.

Sorry if that was pretentious. For recordings I like Gamba and Yates.

[Sergeant Rock]

In order of preference, I'd rank them like so: 5, 2, 7...

Man, I love Arnold's 7th! I love it's kaleidoscopic, demented musical demeanor. I think it's one of his most disturbing works and gives a glimpse into Arnold's psyche as the 9th also seems to show another side of the composer that we hadn't heard previously.

7 is the only one I really like. It's kind of a musical equivalent to Sartre's Nausea capturing the claustrophobia and absurdity of existence[...]For recordings I like Gamba and Yates.

Three votes for Arnold 7. I'll listen again later today, probably Gamba.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

Let us know how you get on with it, Sarge.

[André]

The 7th is indeed one of Arnold's most important works. I'd be hard put to express a preference btw 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. I could place them in any order depending on the time of the day or the weather outside  .

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

7 is the only one I really like. [...] his mental state at the time evidently made him unusually receptive to such an existentialist and even nihilistic view of music.

I think I said earlier that when I first heard it, I thought "this is a musical record of someone's nervous breakdown." A really unsettling piece. Keep the light on while listening.

[snyprrr]

Enjoyed the Brass Quintet yesterday (PJBE)

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Enjoyed the Brass Quintet yesterday (PJBE)

Yes, that's a good one. I have it on this excellent sampler disc:



BTW there is apparently a second brass 5tet. However, I've never seen a recording of it.

[Christo]

The 7th is indeed one of Arnold's most important works. I'd be hard put to express a preference btw 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. I could place them in any order depending on the time of the day or the weather outside  .

Exactly my favourites too. 

[cilgwyn]

My favourites,too. Although,I like them all,really;in the sense that I don't feel that any one of them has wasted my time. And they just make a very satisfying cycle. The eighth is the weakest one,for me. But even that begins well (I like the tune!). Inspiration seems more thin on the ground,after that! And then Arnold surprises me,by ending his cycle with one of his most absorbing and fascinating creations!

[kyjo]

My favourites,too. Although,I like them all,really;in the sense that I don't feel that any one of them has wasted my time. And they just make a very satisfying cycle. The eighth is the weakest one,for me. But even that begins well (I like the tune!). Inspiration seems more thin on the ground,after that! And then Arnold surprises me,by ending his cycle with one of his most absorbing and fascinating creations!

+1 As with the symphonic cycles of Mahler, Sibelius, RVW, and Nielsen, the Arnold cycle really takes the listener on a complex journey (although, admittedly, a more unevenly inspired one in Arnold's case).

[Mirror Image]

+1 As with the symphonic cycles of Mahler, Sibelius, RVW, and Nielsen, the Arnold cycle really takes the listener on a complex journey (although, admittedly, a more unevenly inspired one in Arnold's case).

Arnold's symphonies are interesting, but I wouldn't put them in the same company as those composers.

[kyjo]

Arnold's symphonies are interesting, but I wouldn't put them in the same company as those composers.

Oh, I wouldn't either! I was just saying that the sense of "journey" and development over the course of Arnold's symphonic cycle is similar to that of the composers I mentioned.

[kyjo]

So what are everyone's favorite Arnold compositions outside of the symphonies? I must confess I'm pretty unfamiliar with the rest of his output, but I've started listening to his orchestral dances which are absolutely delightful.

[Christo]

So what are everyone's favorite Arnold compositions outside of the symphonies? I must confess I'm pretty unfamiliar with the rest of his output, but I've started listening to his orchestral dances which are absolutely delightful.

I know only a part of his big oeuvre, was always to lazy to try them all. But some personal faves are:

From his concertos:
      Guitar Concerto, Op. 67 (1959) - his finest, IMO
      Serenade for Guitar and Strings, Op. 50 (1955) - small but great
      Flute Concerto No. 1 (Op. 45, 1954)
      Flute Concerto No. 2 (Op. 111, 1972)
Some orchestral pieces:
     Serenade for Small Orchestra, Op. 26 (1950)
     Philharmonic Concerto, Op. 120 (1976)
The Dance Suites: (both the Chandos and Naxos compilation CDs are fine): 
     English Dances, Set 1, Op. 27 (1950)
     English Dances, Set 2, Op. 33 (1951)
     Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59 (1957)
     Four Cornish Dances, Op. 91 (1966)
     Four Irish Dances, Op. 126 (1986)
     Four Welsh Dances, Op. 138 (1988)
The Sinfoniettas:
     Sinfonietta No. 1, Op. 48 (1954)
     Sinfonietta No. 2, Op. 65 (1958)
     Sinfonietta No. 3, Op. 81 (1964)
The Divertimentos:
     Divertimento No. 1, Op. 1 (1945)
     Divertimento No. 2, Op. 24 (1950), revised as Op. 75 (1961)

[kyjo]

I know only a part of his big oeuvre, was always to lazy to try them all. But some personal faves are:

From his concertos:
      Guitar Concerto, Op. 67 (1959) - his finest, IMO
      Serenade for Guitar and Strings, Op. 50 (1955) - small but great
      Flute Concerto No. 1 (Op. 45, 1954)
      Flute Concerto No. 2 (Op. 111, 1972)
Some orchestral pieces:
     Serenade for Small Orchestra, Op. 26 (1950)
     Philharmonic Concerto, Op. 120 (1976)
The Dance Suites: (both the Chandos and Naxos compilation CDs are fine): 
     English Dances, Set 1, Op. 27 (1950)
     English Dances, Set 2, Op. 33 (1951)
     Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59 (1957)
     Four Cornish Dances, Op. 91 (1966)
     Four Irish Dances, Op. 126 (1986)
     Four Welsh Dances, Op. 138 (1988)
The Sinfoniettas:
     Sinfonietta No. 1, Op. 48 (1954)
     Sinfonietta No. 2, Op. 65 (1958)
     Sinfonietta No. 3, Op. 81 (1964)
The Divertimentos:
     Divertimento No. 1, Op. 1 (1945)
     Divertimento No. 2, Op. 24 (1950), revised as Op. 75 (1961)

Thanks very much Johan - those should keep me busy for a while!

[Sergeant Rock]

So what are everyone's favorite Arnold compositions outside of the symphonies? I must confess I'm pretty unfamiliar with the rest of his output, but I've started listening to his orchestral dances which are absolutely delightful.

The first Arnold piece I ever heard was the Tam O'Shanter Overture. Great fun, and proof that one can depict a drunkard in music 

Sarge

[André]

Tam O'Shanter is a hoot ! It's been recorded a few times. Actually, his overtures are almost as good as any of Dvorak's or Sibelius' tone poems, which they are in all but name (they all depict places or events). The Rumon Gamba disc is comprehensive - although not complete - but his feel for the music is generic compared to the composer's own performances. Go for it by all means (it's available used for less than 6$):



As for Tam O'Shanter, the Naxos disc under Paul Daniel is my reference.

[relm1]

Question: If you had a friend who was reluctant to take on Arnold as a "serious" composer, what work would you show them to demonstrate that is a misconception given his quirky reputation?

[arpeggio]

For me it would be any of his symphonies.