Malcolm Arnold Festival 2011

[albion]

The annual Malcolm Arnold Festival held in Northampton promises to be very special this year - a projected cycle of all nine symphonies to be played over the weekend of 21st - 23rd October. There are no firm performance details as yet on the website (http://www.malcolmarnoldfestival.com/default.htm), but there is a tantalising note from Artistic Director, Paul Harris -

The chance to hear all of Sir Malcolm Arnold's wonderful symphonies in one weekend is probably a never to be repeated opportunity. Not only do these nine masterpieces fascinatingly represent the time in which they were written but they also provide an insight into the mind of one of the twentieth century's most intriguing composers. Arnold once said 'All my music is autobiographical' and no where is this more true than in these nine extraordinary works.

In addition to the symphonies the weekend will be punctuated by many short talks given by those who have a particular connection or interest with each work and performances of many of Sir Malcolm's shorter and smaller scale works written around the same time as each symphony. The great actor Robert Hardy has agreed to launch the Festival on the Friday evening.

This promises to be a wonderful showcase for Arnold and constitutes a not-to-be missed chance to experience such rarely-heard works as the 4th, 7th and 8th symphonies live in concert.   

[alberto]

Sometimes I read the seasons of the "major" U.K. symphonic orchestras. I don't recall "frequent" performances of any of Arnold Symphonies. In the booklet notes to Naxos Ninth Symphony I undestand that the Ninth had to wait six years from completion to get the first performance. (I have all the Symphonies on Naxos, plus some individual Symphony on Chandos , Conifer, Lyrita and EMI). Which is actually the presence of Malcom Arnold  symphonies or, more generally, symphonic output in U.K. concerts?.   

[thalbergmad]

Earlier on in October (6th to 9th) the Alwyn Festival will be held at different locations in Suffolk.

An ideal opportunity for some good music and flat cycling.

Heaven.

Thal

[albion]

Here is an entertaining and informative review of the mammoth weekend by Len Mullenger - http://www.seenandheard-international.com/2011/10/27/a-memorable-celebration-of-sir-malcolm-arnolds-ninetieth-anniversary-in-northampton/

Unfortunately I couldn't attend, having a prior arrangement at Hebden Bridge, but it was clearly a real celebration of Arnold's (sadly still widely under-valued) achievement.

[Dundonnell]

I agree with so much in Mark Morris's "Dictionary of Twentieth Century Composers" but his assessments of Malcom Arnold (and of Robert Simpson) really annoy me.

He writes-

"Arnold is something of an anomaly in modern English music: a prolific, sometimes brilliant but often depressingly banal composer totally out of touch with the developments of the second half of the 20th century. His orchestral command is sometimes powerful enough to have an infectious sparkle, but he writes in an idiom whose basis is so anachronistic that-apart from the music written for pure entertainment, which carries its own built-in purpose-it seems to have little relevance. The symphonies are too amorphous to be of any real interest, and the Symphony No.4....must be one of the most banal ever written."

Relevance to what?? Relevance to whom? Relevance to the listener? If the listener enjoys the sound of the music does that make it 'relevant' to him or her?

Relevant to the composer himself, certainly! Arnold's 6th-9th Symphonies were extremely relevant to Arnold, his domestic situation and his state of mind

If music is to be judged on the basis of whether it is relevant to some generally accepted current standard-were such a thing to exist-then a number of composers whose style might be considered "anachronistic" would require to be dismissed as "irrelevant".

What nonsense!

[albion]

If the listener enjoys the sound of the music does that make it 'relevant' to him or her?

Yes.




BTW No.4 is one of Arnold's very best symphonies.