Malcolm Arnold

'. . .has a genuine music-hall flavour with lots of gusto a winning waltz theme an Offenbachian can-can and even twittering bird effects in the tuneful pot-pourri towards the end of the suite.'Ivan March Gramophone February 1994

Ivan March of Gramophone says '. . .a bleak unease in the unrelenting energy of the first movement which becomes even more discomforting in the desolate start to the Lento. This leads to a forlorn suggestion of a funeral march which then ironically quickens in pace but is suddenly cut down; the drum strokes become menacingly powerful and the despairing mood of the movement's opening returns. . . and grips the listener in the music's pessimism. . .'This is a Study Score of Arnold’s Symphony No.6 Op.95.

Malcolm Arnold's 'Clarinet Concerto No. 2 Op. 115' was dedicated to Benny Goodman and first performed by him as part of the 'Red Rocks Music Festival' with the Denver Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brian Priestman on 17 August 1974. The third movement known affectionately as 'The Pre-Goodman Rag' is an outrageous ragtime parody with a hauntingly wistful middle section. The work has now been made more widely available in this transcription for wind band. This version conmtains full score and parts.

Written in 1966 Arnold drew on a more personal inspiration for these dances rather than folk music. Transcribed by Ray Farr the music depicts the fishermen farm workers and tin miners native to Cornwall going about their lives - it also includes a brief visit to the local Methodist chapel for a Sunday morning sevice!

Darrell Jones says 'Arnold has in the new work invoked traditional rhythms but again the musical matter is his own. The second of the dances has a misty and reflective character but the other three are vintage boisterous Arnold vividly illustrating his gift for bouncy rhythms and fine melodies and his massive sense of fun. Chronicle and Echo 15th August 1966

Commissioned by the Cheltenham Festival Society Malcolm Arnold's Fifth Symphony Op.74 was composed in 1960 and first performed in 1961 (the year of his fortieth birthday). The work was composed towards the end of a period of intense compositional activity. Surrounded by controversy and criticism for its unashamed Neo-Romantic style at the time of composition it is now rightly heralded as a work of art. Edited by Millan Sachania.

A full orchestral arrangement in miniature pocket score format of Four Scottish Dances Op.57 by Sir Malcolm Arnold CBE. A superb quartet of Scottish dances by the prolific English composer that was originally commissioned for the BBC Light Music Festival and premiered at the Royal Festival Hall on 8th June 1957. With varying mood and styles from jigs and reels to a more brooding ballad the work reflects the tranquillity and beauty of Scotland as well the vibrancy and liveliness of its population.

Little Suite for Orchestra No. 1: Op 53-Malcolm Arnold is one Britain’s best-loved composers. In 1948 he composed a very short suite for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain - entitled simply To Youth. Seven years later he took To Youth and made some fairly major revisions including a complete new movement and the Little Suite for Orchestra was born. The Little Suite for Orchestra follows a very similar pattern to the later suites for brass band starting with a bold strident Prelude which strangely ends quietly before a lovely lilting Dance composed in 3/8 time. Finally a rollicking and militaristic March brings the suite to a conclusion. This arrangement for brass band by Robin Norman is sure tobecome a classic in the brass band repertoire.

Guitar/Piano reduction of work for Guitar and String Orchestra. Premiered by Julian Bream under the direction of the composed in 1955.

Malcolm Arnold's one act ballet score Homage To The Queen was commissioned in 1953 by the Royal Opera House Covent Garden to celebrate the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The ballet was conceived and choreographed by Frederick Ashton with designs by Oliver Messel and was danced by the full company of the Sadler's Wells Ballet with an illustrious cast that comprised Nadia Nerina as Queen of the Earth Violetta Elvin as Queen of the Waters Beryl Grey as Queen of Fire and Margot Fonteyn as Queen of the Air. The conductor of the ROH orchestra was Robert Irving. Homage to the Queen was first performed on the night of the coronation 2June1953.One of the towering musical figures of the 20th century Sir Malcolm Arnold has a remarkable catalogue of major concert works to his credit including nine symphonies seven ballets two operas one musical over twenty concertos two string quartets and music for brass band and wind band. He has also written over 132 film scores and among these are some of the finest works ever composed for the medium: Bridge On The River Kwai Inn Of The Sixth Happiness Hobson's Choice Whistle Down The Wind and David Copperfield.

Peterloo is the derisive name given to an incident on 16 August 1819 in St Peter's Fields Manchester when an orderly crowd of some 8 000 people met to hear a speech on political reform. On the orders of the magistrates they were interrupted by the Yeomanry attempting to seize the banners they carried and to arrest their speaker Henry Hunt. Cavalry were sent in eleven people were killed and four hundred injured in the ensuring panic. This overture attempts to portray these happenings musically but after a lament for the killed and injured it ends in triumph in the firm belief that all those who have suffered and died in the cause of unity amongst mankind will not havedone so in vain.

Par ARNOLD MALCOLM. .. .une brief ouverture allegro, un mouvement lent qui a évolué de simplicité lyrique à serait-il gestes émotionnels et une finale qui est un euberant et un salut affectueux à pré-Goodman Rag. Christopher Grier, Evening Standard, 12 octobre 1976/ Répertoire / Clarinette et Piano