Malcolm Arnold

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Sir Malcolm Arnold
Sir Malcolm Arnold

Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold, CBE (21 October 1921 – 23 September 2006) was an English composer.

He began his career as a professional trumpeter, but by the time he was thirty he was composing full-time, being bracketed with Britten and Walton as one of the most sought-after composers in Britain. His natural melodic gift earned him a reputation as a composer of light music in works such as the sets of Welsh, English, Scottish, Irish and Cornish Dances, and the scores to the St Trinian's films and Hobson's Choice.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Malcolm Arnold was born in Northampton, the youngest of five children from a prosperous Northampton family of shoemakers. As a rebellious teenager, he was attracted to the creative freedom of jazz. After seeing Louis Armstrong play in Bournemouth, he took up the trumpet, and at the age of 17 won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music (RCM).

After studying at the RCM he joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra as a trumpeter, eventually becoming principal trumpet. By the end of the 1940s he was concentrating entirely on composition. He was made a CBE in 1970, and knighted in 1993. From 1972 to 1977 he lived in Dublin.

Arnold was a relatively conservative composer of tonal works, but a prolific and popular one. He acknowledged Hector Berlioz as an influence, and several commentators have drawn a comparison with Jean Sibelius. Arnold's most significant works are generally considered to be his nine symphonies. He also wrote a number of concertos, including one for guitar for Julian Bream, one for clarinet for Benny Goodman and one for harmonica for Larry Adler. His sets of dances, which consist of two sets of English Dances (Opp. 27 and 33[1]), and one set each of Scottish Dances (Op. 59), Irish Dances (Op. 126), Welsh Dances (Op. 138) and Cornish Dances (Op. 91), are in a lighter vein and also popular. One of the English Dances is used as the theme music for the British television programme What the Papers Say. Another popular short work is his Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet (Op. 37). Arnold is also known for his relatively large number of compositions and arrangements of his own compositions for brass band.

Arnold also wrote many film scores, winning an Academy Award for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and also providing music for The Belles of St Trinian's (1954), The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) and Whistle Down the Wind (1961). He conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the recording of Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra, and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in the Gemini Suite composed by the group's organist, Jon Lord.

His works are particularly popular with youth and amateur orchestras, partly because of their playability, and also because of the accessibility of his unique style, which combines the musical elements of classical, jazz, popular and folk. He was also the patron of the Rochdale Youth Orchestra until his death in September 2006.

The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra made the first commercial recording of Arnold's Divertimento for the Pye label in July 1967 and regularly performed many of his works in the UK and abroad. Arnold also conducted the orchestra in a 1963 De Montfort Hall concert that included his own English Dances and Tam O'Shanter.

Malcolm Arnold wrote the Trevelyan Suite to mark the opening of Trevelyan College, University of Durham. His daughter was among the first intake of students.

His private life saw a decline in both health and finances. In 1979 he entered St. Andrew's Hospital in his home town of Northampton to be treated for depression and alcoholism. Arnold died at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich on 23 September 2006, after suffering from a chest infection. His last work, The Three Musketeers, was premiered at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford on the same day in a Northern Ballet production. The score included no new music by Arnold, but excerpts from various of his compositions were arranged by John Longstaff. The original score was compiled by Anthony Meredith.

[edit] Career highlights

[edit] Works

[edit] Ballets

  • Homage to the Queen (Op. 42, 1953)
  • Rinaldo and Armida (Op. 49, 1954)
  • Solitaire (1956)
  • The Three Musketeers (2006)

[edit] Orchestral

  • Symphonies
    • Symphony No. 1 (Op. 22, 1949)
    • Symphony No. 2 (Op. 40, 1953)
    • Symphony No. 3 (Op. 63, 1957)
    • Symphony No. 4 (Op. 71, 1960)
    • Symphony No. 5 (Op. 74, 1961)
    • Symphony No. 6 (Op. 95, 1967)
    • Symphony No. 7 (Op. 113, 1973)
    • Symphony No. 8 (Op. 124, 1978)
    • Symphony No. 9 (Op. 128, 1986)
    • Symphony For Strings (Op. 13, 1946)
  • Dance Suites
    • Four English Dances, Set 1, Op. 27 (1950)
    • Four English Dances, Set 2, Op. 33 (1951)
    • Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59 (1957)
    • Four Cornish Dances, Op. 91 (1966)
    • Four Irish Dances, Op. 126 (1986)
    • Four Welsh Dances, Op. 138 (1988)
  • Tam o'Shanter Overture (1955; orchestra)
  • The Bridge on the River Kwai Concert Suite (1957; orchestra)
  • Peterloo Overture (1968)
    • A Flourish For Orchestra, Op. 112 (1973)
    • A Grand, Grand Overture, Op. 57 (1956)
    • A Sussex Overture, Op. 31 (1951)
    • Anniversary Overture, Op 99 (1968)
    • Comedy Overture: Beckus the Dandipratt, Op 5 (1943)
    • Commonwealth Christmas Overture, Op 64 (1957)
    • Divertimento for Orchestra, Op 1 (1945)
    • Divertimento No 2, Op 24 (1950) revised as Op 75 (1961)
    • Larch Trees, Op 3 (1943)
    • Little Suite No 1, Op 53 (1955)
    • Little Suite No 2, Op 78 (1961)
    • Little Suite No 3, Op 142 (1990)
    • Little Suite No 4 for Orchestra, Op 80a (1963)
    • Little Suite No 5 for Orchestra, Op 93a (1957)
    • Peterloo Overture, Op 97 (1967)
    • Philharmonic Concerto, Op 120 (1976)
    • Robert Kett Overture, Op 141 (1988)
    • Salute to Thomas Merritt, Op 98 (1987)
    • Sarabande and Polka from Ballet 'Solitaire' (1956)
    • Serenade for Small Orchestra, Op 26 (1950)
    • Sinfonietta No 1, Op 48 (1954)
    • Sinfonietta No 2, Op 65 (1958)
    • Sinfonietta No 3, Op 81 (1964)
    • Sunshine Overture, Op 83 (1964)
    • Sweeney Todd Concert Suite, Op 68a (1959)
    • Symphonic Suite for Orchestra, Op 12
    • Symphonic Study "Machines" Op 30 (1951)
    • The Fairfield Overture, Op 110 (1972)
    • The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (Suite) (1992)
    • The Padstow Lifeboat: March for Orchestra, Op 94 (1967)
    • The Smoke (Overture), Op 21 (1948)
    • The Song of Simeon, Op 69 (1959)
    • Toy Symphony, Op 62 (1957)
    • Variations for Orchestra, Op 122 (1977)
    • Water Music, Op 82 (1964)

[edit] Concertos

  • Piano
    • Concerto for Piano Duet and Strings (Op. 32, 1951)
    • Concerto for Piano (3 Hands) and Orchestra (Op. 104, 1969)
  • Violin
    • Concerto for Two Violins and String Orchestra (Op. 77, 1962)
  • Viola Concerto (Op. 108, 1957)
  • Cello Concerto (Op. 136, 1988)
  • Flute
    • Flute Concerto No. 1 (Op. 45, 1954)
    • Flute Concerto No. 2 (Op. 111, 1972)
  • Oboe
    • Oboe Concerto (Op. 39, 1952)
    • Oboe Concertino (Op. 28a)
  • Clarinet
    • Clarinet Concerto No. 1 (Op. 20, 1948)
    • Clarinet Concerto No. 2 (Op. 106, 1974)
    • Clariet Concertino (Op. 29a)
  • Saxophone Concerto
  • Recorder
    • Recorder Concerto (Op. 133, 1988)
    • Recorder Concertino (Op. 41a, 1953)
  • Horn
    • Horn Concerto No. 1 (Op. 11, 1945)
    • Horn Concerto No. 2 (Op. 58, 1956)
  • Trumpet
    • Trumpet Concerto (1988) (Op. 125, 1988)
  • Guitar
    • Serenade for Guitar and Strings, Op. 50 (1955)
    • Guitar Concerto, Op. 67 (1959)
  • Organ Concerto (Op. 47, 1954)
  • Harmonica Concerto (Op. 46, 1954)
  • Concerto for 28 players (Op. 105, 1970)

[edit] Vocal/Choral

  • The Open Window
  • The Dancing Master

[edit] Chamber/Instrumental

  • Three Shanties for Woodwind Quintet, Op.4 (1943)
  • Quintet for Flute, Violin, Viola, Horn and Bassoon, Op.7 (1944)
  • Duo for Flute and Viola, Op.10 (1946)
  • Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, Op.37 (1952)
  • Oboe Quartet, Op.61 (1957)
  • Fantasy for Guitar, Op.107 (1971)
  • String Quartets Nos.1 & 2 (1951, 1975)
  • Violin Sonata No. 1 Op. 15 (1947)
  • Violin Sonata No. 2 Op. 43 (1953)
  • Viola Sonata Op. 17 (1947)
  • Five pieces for Vilin and Piano Op. 84 (1965)
  • Duo for Two Cellos Op. 85 (1964)
  • Piano Trio Op. 54 (1956)
  • Flute Sonata (Op. 121, 1977)
  • Fantasy for Flute Op. 89 (1966)
  • Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 29 (1951)
  • Flute Sonatina, Op. 19 (1948)
  • Oboe Sonatina, Op. 28 (1951)
  • Recorder Sonatina, Op. 41 (1953)
  • Fantasy For Clarinet Op. 87 (1966)
  • Fantasy for Bassoon Op. 86 (1966)
  • Fantasy for Oboe Op. 90 (1966)
  • Trio for Flute, Viola and Bassoon Op. 6(1942)

[edit] Band

  • Little Suites
    • Little Suite No 1 for Brass Band, Op 80 (1963)
    • Little Suite No 2 for Brass Band, Op 93 (1967)
    • Little Suite No 3 for Brass Band, Op 131
  • Quintets
    • Quintet For Brass, Op. 73 (1961)
    • Brass Quintet No. 2, Op. 132
  • Symphony for Brass Instruments, Op.123 (1978)
  • Fantasies
    • Fantasy for B flat trumpet Op. 100
    • Fantasy for Horn Op. 88
    • Fantasy for Trombone Op. 101
    • Fantasy for Tuba Op. 102
  • Fanfare For Louis

[edit] Film Scores

Arnold composed music for 132 films including

[edit] Selected recordings

[edit] Source

  • "Sir Malcolm Arnold 1921-2006", obituary by Edward Greenfield in The Gramophone, November, 2006, page 9

[edit] External links

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