sir Malcolm Arnold

Started by Thom, April 12, 2007, 10:28:13 AM

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SymphonicAddict

#340
The Fifth and Ninth Symphonies (especially the elegiac final movement).

arpeggio

FYI I am currently listening to the following set:

[asin]B01B17C4TK[/asin]

I have completed listening to all of the symphonies.  That is why I recommended them.

kishnevi

Quote from: arpeggio on April 19, 2018, 06:57:55 PM
FYI I am currently listening to the following set:

[asin]B01B17C4TK[/asin]

I have completed listening to all of the symphonies.  That is why I recommended them.

The concertos are even better.

amw

Quote from: kyjo on October 24, 2017, 08:38:44 AM
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 Symphony for Strings is sometimes excluded from surveys of the symphonies but is pretty good. Also the Concerto for 28 Players, Concerto for viola & chamber orchestra, Fantasy on a theme of John Field, and both string quartets.

vandermolen

The uneven numbered symphonies are the best + No.6
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

arpeggio

#345
As far as more dramatic works I am currently through disc seven of the Arnold set I acquired.

There are two works on that CD that are new to me: Philharmonic Concerto and the Symphony for Strings.  To my highly subjective and biased ears these are awesome.

SurprisedByBeauty


SymphonicAddict

The Double Violin Concerto is fantastic. It's the closest side to works by, say, Tippett or Britten, but always with the humorous feel to it. It knows how to blend bitterness with madness and quite a bit of hope, perhaps? Well, music is so subjective (or too, depends on the side of coin you want to see it).

Another singular work by him is the Guitar Concerto. It exudes personality and committed wit. Terrific music!

vandermolen

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on March 04, 2019, 03:16:09 PM
The Double Violin Concerto is fantastic. It's the closest side to works by, say, Tippett or Britten, but always with the humorous feel to it. It knows how to blend bitterness with madness and quite a bit of hope, perhaps? Well, music is so subjective (or too, depends on the side of coin you want to see it).

Another singular work by him is the Guitar Concerto. It exudes personality and committed wit. Terrific music!
Interesting Cesar. I enjoyed Tam O' Shanter on the car radio today.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

SymphonicAddict

Quote from: vandermolen on March 05, 2019, 04:39:28 AM
Interesting Cesar. I enjoyed Tam O' Shanter on the car radio today.

Then you car trip was quite fun! Tam O' Shanter is such a hilarious piece.

vandermolen

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on March 05, 2019, 12:24:55 PM
Then you car trip was quite fun! Tam O' Shanter is such a hilarious piece.
Indeed - I prefer it to the Beckus overture.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Roasted Swan

Tam O'Shanter was my first "favourite" piece of CM on the 1st LP I ever bought from Rushworths & Draper in Liverpool.  Part of the Decca "World of Classics" series - this one was called "Dance Macabre".  I still think the version on that recording is the best there has ever been - Sir Alexander Gibson and the New Symphony Orchestra of London (re-released on a Decca Eloquence disc now - witches brew or somesuch).  Brilliantly boozy trombone solo and thunderous storm and ride!  Love it.  The piece that makes you realise that Arnold DID in fact ghost write most of Walton's "Battle in the Air" for the film "Battle of Britain" - all of the Arnold tricks are in both pieces

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Roasted Swan on March 07, 2019, 11:33:49 AM
Tam O'Shanter was my first "favourite" piece of CM on the 1st LP I ever bought....

One of my first favorites too. Not a purchase but Tam was on the first classical LP I borrowed from the nearby city library after I acquired my driver's licence when I was 16. It was a compilation LP (different composers) but Tam is the only piece I remember. The LP did come with a baton for air conducting!  ;D

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on March 07, 2019, 11:33:49 AM
Tam O'Shanter was my first "favourite" piece of CM on the 1st LP I ever bought from Rushworths & Draper in Liverpool.  Part of the Decca "World of Classics" series - this one was called "Dance Macabre".  I still think the version on that recording is the best there has ever been - Sir Alexander Gibson and the New Symphony Orchestra of London (re-released on a Decca Eloquence disc now - witches brew or somesuch).  Brilliantly boozy trombone solo and thunderous storm and ride!  Love it.  The piece that makes you realise that Arnold DID in fact ghost write most of Walton's "Battle in the Air" for the film "Battle of Britain" - all of the Arnold tricks are in both pieces
Very interesting about 'Battle in the Air' by far the best music in 'Battle of Britain'. I seem to recall that Arnold conducted the extract for the film.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Roasted Swan

Quote from: vandermolen on March 07, 2019, 01:20:26 PM
Very interesting about 'Battle in the Air' by far the best music in 'Battle of Britain'. I seem to recall that Arnold conducted the extract for the film.

Arnold conducted ALL of Walton's music that was (except for Battle in the Air) subsequently ditched for the Ron Goodwin score, which of course Goodwin conducted.  The DVD release of the film offers the viewer the (rare) option of watching with either the Goodwin score or the complete Walton score.  The difference the music gives to the key scenes in terms of emotional impact and tone is striking.  To be honest Walton spends too much time rehashing various versions of Orb & Sceptre and/or variants on Siegfried's horn call but even 2nd rate Walton is worth hearing.  Musically, "Battle in the Air" is easily the highlight in both versions and all the more effective for the director's choice to ditch any dialogue or sound effects and rely simply on the nervous energy of the music.  The Goodwin closing credits have no equivalent in the Walton score and is a passage of near-genius - a very simple figure built on a simple chord as a solo Spitfire flies through a blue sky - emotionally rather powerful


kyjo

#355
I discovered two Arnold works recently that I don't believe I've voiced my enthusiasm for yet:

Concerto for 2 Pianos 3 Hands (Concerto for Phyllis and Cyril): What a riot of a work! It may descend into "kitsch" at times, but it is too much fun for me to care! Moreover, the slow movement is gorgeous and contains one of those treasurable Arnoldian tunes.

https://youtu.be/zMI5WDjvY1c

Peterloo Overture: Written in commemoration of the deadly Peterloo massacre of 1819, this work begins with a noble, hopeful tune (reminiscent of the "big tune" of the 5th Symphony) which is soon disrupted by martial snare drum rhythms (a la Nielsen 5). This leads into a violent, chaotic "battle scene" which contains some of the most edge-of-your-seat exciting music that Sir Malcolm ever wrote. Soon, the action dies down, paving the way for a grandiose reprise of the opening "big tune", replete with triumphantly chiming bells. Wow! If the 1812 Overture is so popular, why can't this be too?

https://youtu.be/8CsTC8rLN80

Some might view works like these as "overblown" or "trite", but for me they only confirm Arnold's genius.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

vandermolen

Quote from: kyjo on March 13, 2019, 11:41:40 AM
I discovered two Arnold works recently that I don't believe I've voiced my enthusiasm for yet:

Concerto for 2 Pianos 3 Hands (Concerto for Phyllis and Cyril): What a riot of a work! It may descend into "kitsch" at times, but it is too much fun for me to care! Moreover, the slow movement is gorgeous and contains one of those treasurable Arnoldian tunes.

https://youtu.be/zMI5WDjvY1c

Peterloo Overture: Written in commemoration of the deadly Peterloo massacre of 1819, this work begins with a noble, hopeful tune (reminiscent of the "big tune" of the 5th Symphony) which is soon disrupted by martial snare drum rhythms (a la Nielsen 5). This leads into a violent, chaotic "battle scene" which contains some of the most edge-of-your-seat exciting music that Sir Malcolm ever wrote. Soon, the action dies down, paving the way for a grandiose reprise of the opening "big tune", replete with triumphantly chiming bells. Wow! If the 1812 Overture is so popular, why can't this be too?

https://youtu.be/8CsTC8rLN80

Some might view works like these as "overblown" or "trite", but for me they only confirm Arnold's genius.
I particularly like the Concerto which is great fun. It was coupled on an EMI LP with the excellent concertos for three hands by Arthur Bliss and Gordon Jacob. Sadly the Jacob never made it to CD.  :(
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Papy Oli

#357
Another great BBC documentary on I-player for a few more days about Arnold, focused on the River Kwai soundtrack :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00041td/discovering-series-1-3-the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai-malcolm-arnold

Might have to venture into his soundtracks once i have gone through his symphony cycle.
Olivier

Mirror Image

Quote from: Papy Oli on April 18, 2019, 07:08:59 AM
Another great BBC documentary on I-player for a few more days about Arnold, focused on the River Kwai soundtrack :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00041td/discovering-series-1-3-the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai-malcolm-arnold

Might have to venture into his soundtracks once i have gone through his symphony cycle.

You might want to listen to his concerti or the chamber music next before venturing into his music for film.

Carshot

I  am currently discovering the music of Sir Malcolm (beyond some film music and the dances) and love it. This forum has been a great guide regarding where to start etc, (many thanks!) and I am currently reading the Meredith/Harris "Rogue Genius". Are there any recordings available of Sir Malcolm playing the trumpet ? He seems to have been very highly valued as a player but I can't find any recordings...