Malcolm Arnold
Malcolm Arnold
1921-2006
Malcolm Arnold was a 20th Century British composer.
I normally come to a composer's music via their choral or vocal music, occasionally through their solo piano music. In the case of Arnold, I don't think I know any of his works in the field of voice or piano.
First and foremost, it is his film music which introduced me to the composer's name, for he has some famous titles. Then it was the road to his orchestral Dances and eventually his symphonies, although I didn't explore them for long.
Arnold was a composer of tonal music, who mixed modernism with a love of Romanticism and jazz, aspects which can be heard through his music. He obviously had a populous streak, for his film music still has a public consciousness today. His absolute music could be tougher, but like Britten who I recently explored, everything he wrote was based in a tonal world. Thus, there is an opportunity of appreciation from any lover of Classical Music.
For this listener, most of the music of Malcolm Arnold will be exploratory, as for some reason or another, I was put off his music at some point and never returned. This will give me a chance to revisit some recordings I have, and delve into ones new to me. As I learn more about the composer, I will add to this page.
Recordings and reviews currently on hand
(Click orange links to visit a musing):
1995: Symphony 1 & 2
1996: Dances
1996: Little Suites & Concerto
2000: Film Music, Vol. 1
2000: Film Music, Vol. 2
2005: Overtures
2006: Return of Odysseus
2007: String Quartets
2009: Ballet Music
2025: Choral Music & Concertos
2006: Eleven Symphonies (Decca set)
• Symphony 1 & 2; String Symphony
• Symphony 3 & 4
• Symphony 5 & 6
• Symphony 7 & 8
• Symphony 9 & Brass Symphony
2006: Seventeen Concertos (Decca set)
• Violin, Viola, Flute 1 & 2, Oboe, Recorder
• Clarinet and Horn Concertos
• Piano Concertos
• Harmonica and Guitar Concertos
Concerto for 28 Players & Philharmonic
2006: Orchestral, Brass, Piano Music (Decca set)
• Overtures and Dances
• Overtures and Suites
• Music for Brass
• Piano Music
A Malcolm Arnold Box Set Comparison
Bits 'n Bobs
ADDENDUM
After sitting through a lot of Malcolm Arnold's music, and now finishing up my current listening cycle of the composer, I thought I would follow up from my initial comments above.
Arnold's music exists as if the Neo-Classicists and the Neo-Romantics came together and had a child. His music can be spare, austere, and uncompromising, sprinkled in with chaconnes and fantasies alike. Yet there is wit, as well as jazz and populous overtones to many of his compositions as well, often contrasted within mere breaths of each other. There are folk elements to some of his pieces, yet I would be hard put to tie him to the British Pastoral School. Britten, Rubbra, and Tippett seem wrong to compare to Arnold as well; perhaps Sir William Walton comes closest, if such a thing needs comparing.
Furthermore, as an orchestrator, you will find his love of brass fanfares, piccolo, and percussion tied to the composer. He can be a great musical storyteller when needed too, although his absolute music is far more numerous. I am not sure how many film scores Sir Malcolm wrote, but there are a lot of concert hall pieces.
For me, his music is such that I am rarely overly satisfied, nor am I ever completely put off. I suppose I can say the same for many mid-20th Century composers. When following Arnold's musical thoughts through listening, I will have an idea where he is taking his music, yet the composer rarely goes where expected, even at its most approachable.
We are lucky to have so many recordings of Malcolm Arnold's music
available to hear today. One can explore his musical numbers through the
composer himself at the podium, or follow the likes of Handley, Penny,
Hickox, Gamba, as well as the Lyrita clan in his orchestral music.