Malcolm Arnold

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Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold , CBE (born October 21, 1921 in Northampton , † September 23, 2006 in Norfolk ) was a British composer and Oscar winner .

Life

Malcolm Arnold was the son of a wealthy shoe manufacturer. He studied composition with Gordon Jacob and trumpet with Ernest Hall at the Royal College of Music in London . He then became a trumpeter with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (1941 to 1948), and in the meantime also with the BBC Symphony Orchestra . From the end of the 1940s he devoted himself entirely to composition. He became Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1970 and was knighted as a Knight Bachelor in 1993 .

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Excerpt from the sonata for clarinet and piano, op.29 (clarinet part) by Malcolm Arnold

Arnold was a comparatively conservative and at the same time fruitful and successful composer of tonal works. He himself named the work of Hector Berlioz as inspiration; various critics drew comparisons with Jean Sibelius . Arnold's nine symphonies are generally considered to be his most important works. He also wrote a number of concerts including a guitar concerto (for Julian Bream ) and one for harmonica (for Larry Adler ). His dance sequences (two series of English Dances and one each of Scottish Dances , Irish Dances , Welsh Dances and Cornish Dances ) are cheerful and at the same time popular (one of the English Dances is the musical motto of the British television program What the Papers Say ). Another well-known, shorter work is the Divertimento for flute , oboe and clarinet op.37  .

Arnold also wrote 132 film scores , won an Oscar for Die Brücke am Kwai (1958), but also provided the music for Die Reise ins Ungewisse (1951), The Belles of St Trinian's (1954), Die Herberge zur 6. Glückseligkeit (1958) ), Whistle Down the Wind (1961), Patricia and the Lion (1962), Nine Hours for Eternity (1963) or the keyword “Heavy Water” (1965). He conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the recording of Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra on Jon Lord's Gemini Suite .

His works are particularly successful with youth and amateur orchestras - partly because of their relatively easy playability, but also because of the accessibility of his personal style, which combines elements of classical music, jazz , folk and popular music . He was the patron of the Colne Valley Youth Orchestra.

Works for orchestra

  • 1945 Divertimento for Orchestra opus 1
  • 1945–46 Symphonic Suite for Orchestra opus 12 (lost)
  • 1946 Symphony for Strings opus 13
  • 1949 Symphony No 1 opus 22
  • 1951 Symphonic Study "Machines" opus 30
  • 1951 A Sussex Overture opus 31
  • 1953 Symphony No 2 opus 40
  • 1955 Serenade opus 50, for guitar and strings
  • 1956 A Grand Grand Overture opus 57, for 3 vacuum cleaners, 1 floor polisher, 4 guns and symphony orchestra
  • 1957 Four Scottish Dances opus 59
  • 1957 Toy Symphony opus 62
  • 1957 Symphony No 3 opus 63
  • 1959 Concerto opus 67, for guitar and chamber orchestra
  • 1960 Symphony No 4 opus 71
  • 1961 Symphony No 5 opus 74
  • 1966 Four Cornish Dances opus 91
  • 1967 Symphony No 6 opus 95
  • 1968 Anniversary Overture opus 99
  • 1973 Symphony No 7 opus 113
  • 1976 Philharmonic Concerto opus 120
  • 1977 Variations for Orchestra opus 122
  • 1978 Symphony No 8 opus 124
  • 1986 Four Irish Dances opus 126
  • 1986 Symphony No 9 opus 128
  • 1988 Four Welsh Dances opus 138
  • 1990 A Manx Suite (Little Suite No 3) opus 142
  • 1992 Hobson's Choice - Concert Suite

Works for wind orchestra

  • 1950 English Dances: Set I opus 27
  • 1951 English Dances: Set II opus 33
  • 1952 The Sound Barrier Rhapsody opus 38
  • 1953 Homage to the Queen Suite opus 42
  • 1953 Flourish for a 21st Birthday opus 44
  • 1955 Fanfare for a Festival
  • 1955 Tam O'Shanter Overture opus 51a
  • 1956 Sarabande and Polka from the ballet Solitaire
  • 1957 Four Scottish Dances opus 59
  • 1957 HRH The Duke of Cambridge March opus 60
  • 1960 March: Overseas opus 70
  • 1961 Two Symphonic Pieces opus 74a
  • 1963 Little Suite for Brass Band No. 1 opus 80
  • 1963 Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo
  • 1964 Water Music opus 82
  • 1966 Four Cornish Dances opus 91
  • 1967 Little Suite for Brass Band No. 2 opus 93
  • 1967 Coronation March (Thomas Merritt)
  • 1967 The Padstow Lifeboat March opus 94
  • 1967 Peterloo Overture opus 97
  • 1968 Anniversary Overture opus 99
  • 1972 Song of Freedom for choir and wind orchestra
  • 1972 The Fair Field Overture opus 110
  • 1973 A Flourish opus 112
  • 1973 Fantasy for Brass-Band opus 114a
  • 1978 Symphony for Brass opus 123
  • 1987 Little Suite for Brass Band No. 3 opus 131
  • 1988 Robert Kett Overture opus 141
  • 1989 Flourish for a Battle opus 139
  • 1992 The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (Suite)
  • Allegretto and Vivace for Concert Band opus 40a
  • Attleborough opus 78a

Works for guitar solo

  • Fantasy opus 107

Filmography (selection)

Fonts

  • Raphael D. Thöne: Malcolm Arnold - Symphonic Creation, Style and Aesthetics ( German ). Entercom Saurus Records / Edition Wissenschaft, DE August 1, 2008, ISBN 978-3937748085 .
  • Raphael D. Thöne: Malcolm Arnold - A Composer of Real Music: Symphonic Writing, Style and Aesthetics ( English ). Entercom Saurus Records / Edition Wissenschaft, US / DE / UK 2007-20-08, ISBN 978-3937748061 .
  • Anthony Meredith, Paul Harris: Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius ( English ). Thames / Elkin, UK September 24, 2004, ISBN 090341354X .
  • Paul RW Jackson: The Life and Music of Sir Malcolm Arnold - The Brilliant and the Dark ( English ). Ashgate, UK 6 February 2003, ISBN 1859283810 .
  • Piers Burton-Page: Philharmonic Concerto: The Life and Music of Sir Malcolm Arnold ( English ). Methuen, UK October 21, 1994, ISBN 041345651X .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Arnold, Malcolm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Arnold, Malcolm Henry (full name); Arnold, Sir Malcolm Henry
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British composer
DATE OF BIRTH October 21, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH Northampton
DATE OF DEATH September 23, 2006
Place of death Norfolk