sir Malcolm Arnold

[Dundonnell]

No....I DID mean Arnold conducting is own Seventh (not the Fourth)

'Unsung Composers', gentlemen

[vandermolen]

No....I DID mean Arnold conducting is own Seventh (not the Fourth)

'Unsung Composers', gentlemen

Thanks Colin.

[jowcol]

Thanks Colin.

That phrase may also lead you to his symphonic study "Machines"

[raduneo]

I have just listened to his 4th Symphony (the Andrew Penny version), and I have rarely been so impressed by a SYmphony on a first hearing!

From the abundence of popular tunes, GREAT use of brass, the fun and playful rthythms of the outer movements, to the blues melodies of the slow movement, to the explosion of popular tunes in the finale (that remind one a bit of the military fanfare moments in the fast movement of a Shostakovich Symphony), this Symphony is a nicely constructed and packed with solid amounts of fun! Not to mention that beautiful romantic melody that shows up around the middle of the first movement! It may not be the most ground-breaking of most deep symphony out there, but it is beautifully contsructed, well orchestrated, well constructed, and just plain FUN. For what it sets out to do it's a work of genious!

Ok, I am done rambling, I just had to pay hommage to a man for whom my appreciation is growing!

(his value is recognized in a book called Surprised by Beauty; there's a chapter on him, where he is called the "Polenc of the British", which to SOME extent I feel is a good comparison. Yes, I am aware that the later symphonies change the page quite a bit, and not all his symphonies are this light and fun)

[vandermolen]

A recording of Arnold's First Symphony (BBC Concert Orchestra,Keith Lockhart) is features on the CD accompanying the current issue of BBC Music Magazine - recorded live in Birmingham earlier this year.

[cilgwyn]

I have just listened to his 4th Symphony (the Andrew Penny version), and I have rarely been so impressed by a SYmphony on a first hearing!

From the abundence of popular tunes, GREAT use of brass, the fun and playful rthythms of the outer movements, to the blues melodies of the slow movement, to the explosion of popular tunes in the finale (that remind one a bit of the military fanfare moments in the fast movement of a Shostakovich Symphony), this Symphony is a nicely constructed and packed with solid amounts of fun! Not to mention that beautiful romantic melody that shows up around the middle of the first movement! It may not be the most ground-breaking of most deep symphony out there, but it is beautifully contsructed, well orchestrated, well constructed, and just plain FUN. For what it sets out to do it's a work of genious!

Ok, I am done rambling, I just had to pay hommage to a man for whom my appreciation is growing!

(his value is recognized in a book called Surprised by Beauty; there's a chapter on him, where he is called the "Polenc of the British", which to SOME extent I feel is a good comparison. Yes, I am aware that the later symphonies change the page quite a bit, and not all his symphonies are this light and fun)

It was the Andrew Penny recording which 'did it' for me. I remember quite enjoying Arnolds own performance on the Lyrita label,but remaining unconvinced. There was allot of colourful orchestration,a marvellous slow movement;but it lacked the cohesion of the Fifth. The finale was quite good fun,but it just seemed 'bitty' & tagged on. Later on other recordings emerged & Arnolds leisurely pace became apparent. I haven't got them to hand,but I seem to remember they were quite astonishing! Needless to the Andrew Penny recording was a revelation. Suddenly the whole work seemed to come together. I even remember raving about the work on the Havergal Brian thread! The same goes for the entire cycle;although I must confess,I have not heard the ninth. Mixed opinions on various threads & reviews & the apparent sombreness of the work,have put me off!
  Arnold's assimilation of classical & popular idioms is truly astonishing. I now feel that he is one of the few composers ever to have,convincingly,pulled off this rare feat! Others,that come to mind,being;Gershwin,Bernstein,Grant Still (at his best) & possibly,some,Frederic Devreese.
  I would not entirely dismiss Arnold's account of his Fourth,however. He is,after all,the composer;then there's the Lyrita 'engineering' & an exceptionally powerful reading of the slow movement!
His fifth (emi) is a classic,of course!

A marvellous symphonic cycle. It would be nice to know the concert halls were resounding to the musical glories of these works! But,I have to say,it took Penny to convince me!
  Strange to think that,back in the early eighties,most of the symphonies were commercially unavailable. I think the Fourth symphony was accessible via an Aries pirate Lp. I remember,as a youngster,listening to a programme on Radio 3,about the symphonies. They played snippets & I kept thinking,'That sounds VERY intriguing? I wonder what the rest is like?'

[The new erato]

Sir was a great composer in his best moments (and several of the symphonies are really great); and stuff like this makes me like him even more:

http://www.overgrownpath.com/2006/10/malcolm-arnold-and-rock-idols.html

"Arnold stepped in at this point, rapped his baton on the music stand and spoke to the orchestra as only one of their own could, saying 'I don't know what you think you are doing! You're supposed to be the finest orchestra in Britain, and you're playing like a bunch of c***s. Quite frankly, with the way it's going, you're not fit to be on the stage with these guys, so pick yourself up and let's hear some b******s ... We're going to make history tonight, so we might as well make music while we're doing it!'"

This when the RPO showed disrespect to Deep Purple during a joint recording project.

[Christo]

The "disrespect" was well-deserved, BTW. I was exposed to a lot of Deep Purple in the 1970s and 1980s and learned to hate them.  Malcolm Arnold is a hero and fine composer, no quarrels about that. 

[relm1]

Judging by the age of the last post in this thread, Malcolm Arnold is not particularly popular with a large fan base.  I relistened to his Symphony No. 4 just now and forgot what a wonderful composer he is of tunes, drama (and wit), plus well structured epic symphonies. 

I am curious what others think about Arnold the symphonist and his place in music history?  Great composer or incidental/forgettable?

[vandermolen]

Judging by the age of the last post in this thread, Malcolm Arnold is not particularly popular with a large fan base.  I relistened to his Symphony No. 4 just now and forgot what a wonderful composer he is of tunes, drama (and wit), plus well structured epic symphonies. 

I am curious what others think about Arnold the symphonist and his place in music history?  Great composer or incidental/forgettable?

Great composer although the odd numbered symphonies are the best in my view + No 6 which I like more and more.

[snyprrr]

String Quartet No.2

Arnold wrote this in response to the death of his son. Perhaps not since Frank Bridge's Piano Trio No.2, in answer to the carnage of WW1, has such a personal elegy...

Let's try again. I can think of no other String Quartet that wears its broken heart on its sleeve quite like Arnold's most poignant ode to the death of his son. There is a moment when Arnold's voice becomes so quiet, and the melodic voices begin a misterioso passage, that is as sublime as any such moment in Beethoven or Schoenberg.

If the Janacek SQs were inspired by severe tragedy, instead of unrequited love, they might have given the feeling of unbridled grief that Arnold puts on display here- like hearing the embarrassing wails of a stricken parent, the innermost palpitations of hopelessness. Truly, tragedy never sounded so heartfelt as it does here.

This SQ is one of the great 'first person' confessionals of the post-WW2 era, as it pertains to the music of tradition (as opposed to the avant garde). A truly Romantic outpouring of one's -

anyhow- great stuff!

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

String Quartet No.2

[review snypped]

This SQ is one of the great 'first person' confessionals of the post-WW2 era, as it pertains to the music of tradition (as opposed to the avant garde). A truly Romantic outpouring of one's -

anyhow- great stuff!

I have yet to check out his chamber music. Thanks for the review. Are you listening to the Naxos disc?

[snyprrr]

I have yet to check out his chamber music. Thanks for the review. Are you listening to the Naxos disc?

yes- though I'm sure the Chandos is equally nice...

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Snip, what do you think of his 1st String Quartet? The samples I heard were very Bartokian (not a sound I generally associate with this composer).

[snyprrr]

Snip, what do you think of his 1st String Quartet? The samples I heard were very Bartokian (not a sound I generally associate with this composer).

It's obviously from a different era. I'd have to listen again- totally blipped- but I do believe it's fairly standard fare. Maybe that 'Vitae' piece is better, I'll check.

ACK!

Yea, the opening is quite discordant! Bartokian, I'd say!haha Gritty. Rawsthorne? 1949. The notes say to look to the Symphony No.1 for comparisons. Early Hindemith? Aggressive. I'm actually surprised that he's being somewhat abstract here. I'm going to have to get back to it later. I'm glad you pointed it out just now- it forced me to objectify, as if I've heard a new work altogether! 18mins.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

ACK!

That sounds promising. I'll have to put that disc on my "to get" pile.

[snyprrr]

That sounds promising. I'll have to put that disc on my "to get" pile.

I also like the Symphony for Brass Instruments. Deeply felt

[cilgwyn]

I recently bought the Chandos set of the symphonies as I became unhappy with the Naxos versions I owned. Suddenly I can hear all the detail and with the truly spectacular sound quality that Arnold's music deserves. The Gamba set of 7 & 8 was a bit of a shocker though. Talk about manic! He really does take the Seventh at a heck of a lick! I'm used to the Handley version which seems just right to my ears. It's also the first performance I ever heard. That said,even if the Gamba performance sounds excessive,or even more than a little ott;considering the circumstances in which it was composed (and state of mind) maybe Gamba has a point! It certainly is a very intriguing performance. That said,it still sounds a bit too ott for me! And I'm not sure if frantic is actually a better word for describing it than manic,which means not so good!
The Conifer recording I have of 7 & 8 is very good;but sounds thin after the Chandos recording. Once your ears re-adjust it sounds,as I said........very good! The sixth is probably my favourite Arnold symphony. I wonder how this compares to the Chandos performance? The other music on the cd is very nicely chosen and I love the artwork!! I keep meaning to buy it! (It's on my list!)

[Mirror Image]

Warts and all, I still prefer the Penny cycle. I'm sure Penny received plenty of input as Sir Arnold was present for all of the recordings. This doesn't make them 'definitive' performances of course, but it's as close to the composer as we'll ever be without the man himself on the podium.

[Sergeant Rock]

Warts and all, I still prefer the Penny cycle. I'm sure Penny received plenty of input as Sir Arnold was present for all of the recordings. This doesn't make them 'definitive' performances of course, but it's as close to the composer as we'll ever be without the man himself on the podium.

Thank god, MI! Cilgwyn had me worried  ...I thought I'd have to buy another cycle 

Seriously, I'm quite happy with Penny's and the composer's own recordings.

Sarge