sir Malcolm Arnold

[Roasted Swan]

I think Arnold's 9th is one of his genuine masterpieces born out of unbelievably harrowing experiences for the composer.  It is NOT an easy listen and the last movement makes demands on players and audiences alike but such is the case with most great Art.  The fact that pieces such as this still languish in relative shadows and has never been performed at the Proms (given some of the music that has) tells you everything you need to know about the state of serious music in the UK.

Recently John Gibbons - who has conducted as much Arnold as any living conductor I guess - released a fairly controversial version of No.9 in which he takes the finale a lot quicker than any other commercial recording.  He knows his Arnold so you have to give consideration to his views and reasonings.  Personally I think he is wrong but it certainly makes for an interesting debate.

https://johngibbonsmusic.co.uk/blog/2022/05/talking-about-arnold-ninth-symphony/

[vandermolen]

I think Arnold's 9th is one of his genuine masterpieces born out of unbelievably harrowing experiences for the composer.  It is NOT an easy listen and the last movement makes demands on players and audiences alike but such is the case with most great Art.  The fact that pieces such as this still languish in relative shadows and has never been performed at the Proms (given some of the music that has) tells you everything you need to know about the state of serious music in the UK.

Recently John Gibbons - who has conducted as much Arnold as any living conductor I guess - released a fairly controversial version of No.9 in which he takes the finale a lot quicker than any other commercial recording.  He knows his Arnold so you have to give consideration to his views and reasonings.  Personally I think he is wrong but it certainly makes for an interesting debate.

https://johngibbonsmusic.co.uk/blog/2022/05/talking-about-arnold-ninth-symphony/

Most interesting. I bought the Gibbons No.9 when it first came out but haven't got round to listening to it yet. That will be rectified very soon! I've always liked the 9th - the Penny version is my favourite.

[aligreto]

I think Arnold's 9th is one of his genuine masterpieces born out of unbelievably harrowing experiences for the composer.  It is NOT an easy listen and the last movement makes demands on players and audiences alike but such is the case with most great Art.  The fact that pieces such as this still languish in relative shadows and has never been performed at the Proms (given some of the music that has) tells you everything you need to know about the state of serious music in the UK.

Recently John Gibbons - who has conducted as much Arnold as any living conductor I guess - released a fairly controversial version of No.9 in which he takes the finale a lot quicker than any other commercial recording.  He knows his Arnold so you have to give consideration to his views and reasonings.  Personally I think he is wrong but it certainly makes for an interesting debate.

https://johngibbonsmusic.co.uk/blog/2022/05/talking-about-arnold-ninth-symphony/

That is something that I cannot envisage and, on the face of it, would also seem wrong to me but I have not heard it.

[aligreto]

Most interesting. I bought the Gibbons No.9 when it first came out but haven't got round to listening to it yet. That will be rectified very soon! I've always liked the 9th - the Penny version is my favourite.

Do please let us know your thoughts when you do listen to it, Jeffrey.

[vandermolen]

Do please let us know your thoughts when you do listen to it, Jeffrey.

Will do Fergus.
Nice to hear the lovely theme tune from 'Whistle Down the Wind' played on BBC Radio 3 this morning, on my way to work.

[aligreto]

Will do Fergus.
Nice to hear the lovely theme tune from 'Whistle Down the Wind' played on BBC Radio 3 this morning, on my way to work.

Life can feel good sometimes 

[vandermolen]

Life can feel good sometimes 

Yes, and such a contrast between Whistle Down the Wind and the 9th Symphony, both, in their way, entirely characteristic of Arnold and testament to his versatility and genius.

As a teacher in a Girls' school, I've always related to his 'Belles of St Trinians' theme music! 

[aligreto]

As a teacher in a Girls' school, I've always related to his 'Belles of St Trinians' theme music! 

Total, unadulterated bias on your part   

[relm1]

Re: Symphony No. 9, I really liked the world premiere.  Very well paced and probably the closest we have to Arnold's conducting approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awIxuj_DCsw

[Roasted Swan]

Re: Symphony No. 9, I really liked the world premiere.  Very well paced and probably the closest we have to Arnold's conducting approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awIxuj_DCsw

And remember Groves really had to push the BBC to perform the work after the score-reading panel took fright with its sparse scoring and basically assumed Arnold had lost it......  Groves was a great champion of many British composers and their works but possibly this was his finest hour.

[vandermolen]

Total, unadulterated bias on your part   

[vandermolen]

Do please let us know your thoughts when you do listen to it, Jeffrey.

I've been listening to it this morning Fergus (Symphony No.9). It had me gripped throughout. It's a while since I listened to any other recording (I have those be Penny, Handley and Gamba) but this one struck me as being as good as any (I rate the Penny version very highly and enjoy the interview at the end). Gibbons's recording didn't sound to me like he was rushing through the finale, which I found to be a convincing reading. The pared down instrumentation can be seen as evidence of diminishing powers due to mental collapse - however, I don't see it that way and regard this movement (and the work as a whole really) as a bleakly poetic traversal through a barren landscape, whether physical or metaphorical as Arnold moved towards the end of his life. The influence of Mahler's 9th Symphony (finale) seems quite clear in the last movement.

[foxandpeng]

The pared down instrumentation can be seen as evidence of diminishing powers due to mental collapse - however, I don't see it that way and regard this movement (and the work as a whole really) as a bleakly poetic traversal through a barren landscape, whether physical or metaphorical as Arnold moved towards the end of his life.

For what it is worth, I agree entirely! Debilitating mental health can be as great a catalyst to creativity as it can be erosive. I certainly think that #9 reflects Arnold's harrowing depths just as much as earlier works showcase his playful ingenuity and pleasure.

[vandermolen]

For what it is worth, I agree entirely! Debilitating mental health can be as great a catalyst to creativity as it can be erosive. I certainly think that #9 reflects Arnold's harrowing depths just as much as earlier works showcase his playful ingenuity and pleasure.

An interesting point Danny, with which I agree.

[Carshot]

A new release of Malcolm Arnold music - some of the recordings are 2019 but I can't see that they have been released (at least on CD) before:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BMM8XJ5S/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

[Roasted Swan]

A new release of Malcolm Arnold music - some of the recordings are 2019 but I can't see that they have been released (at least on CD) before:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BMM8XJ5S/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

No this is a wholly new release which compliments the disc of overtures by the same performers;



None of the music is new to the catalogue but its a good few years since there have been new performances and quite a lot is only getting its 2nd studio recording

[Scion7]

Very good!   

[vandermolen]

No this is a wholly new release which compliments the disc of overtures by the same performers;



None of the music is new to the catalogue but its a good few years since there have been new performances and quite a lot is only getting its 2nd studio recording

I've seen it advertised as a new release recently.

[Papy Oli]

A new release of Malcolm Arnold music - some of the recordings are 2019 but I can't see that they have been released (at least on CD) before:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BMM8XJ5S/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

Thank you for the heads-up, @Carshot  I'll have to stream that one, given how much I love the first Gamba volume posted by @Roasted Swan . I remember liking the Padstow Lifeboat in the Conifer set already.

[vandermolen]

Thank you for the heads-up, @Carshot  I'll have to stream that one, given how much I love the first Gamba volume posted by @Roasted Swan . I remember liking the Padstow Lifeboat in the Conifer set already.

The Padstow Lifeboat is good fun.