Review: Naxos' Malcolm Arnold Symphonies Are Back In A Box!

[@dizwell]

Thanks for this. I have often wondered why (or how!) Arnold sounds so distinctive. Your description of his use of splashes of orchestral colour without relying on a "cushion" of strings strikes home wonderfully, and is something that I feel I recognise (after years of not knowing!) Great talk, entirely worthy of its subject.

[@RepertoireSharer]

Thanks for this! I’m confident that in time Arnold will be deservedly recognized as one of the late twentieth century’s towering symphonists.

[@artistinbeziers7916]

I discoverd MA in the 1990s, and have enjoyed his Naxos symphonies greatly. Hugely under-rated composer. Great talk, David. I'm glad you are an MA admirer, too.

[@Coneman3]

Probably underrated because artworks mostly only recognises weirdness or radically new approaches.

[@Bob-us9di]

I love Arnolds music, and for ages was made to feel wierd for doing so. Thank God your channel recognises his genius!

[@evan123455]

I remember Sir Malcolm conducting a performance of the 5th symphony in Birmingham UK prior to the recording way back in1972. In that concert he conducted an overture by Suppe, Grieg symphonic dances and Rachmaninov.

[@pawdaw]

Symphony 7 is a masterpiece. Viscerally exciting and compelling from start to finish. Brilliantly orchestrated. I have a soft spot for Symphony 5. Some people hear schmaltz in the slow movement, I just hear wistful beauty and nostalgia.

[@pawdaw]

@@warrenj3204 I know! He just keeps ratcheting up the tension...

[@davidowen9308]

yes, that first movement of the 7th is perhaps the greatest thing Arnold ever did. Penny, reading between the lines seems to also think it's the greatest , other reviews often go for the 5th which I'd also put second. Schmaltz in the slow movement? -- well I think the one in the 2nd symphony for instance is better but there's nothing wrong with good schmaltz (an oxymoron?)....

[@gt-lv3zo]

anyone hearing "schmalz" is either not listening properly or is an empathetic pygmy. profound sadness and regret is what I hear in the second movement. No one writing just schmalz would write this way. Maybe it's a response to the calamity at the end of the first movement.

[@markwolf1374]

This is great. Arnold was a pandemic discovery largely because of the avail able recordings here on KZbin. There are several contemporary BBC radio broadcasts. Quickly snapped up these discs individually with the Naxos disc of the dances being the only complete one. Also grabbed the Chandos box of the symphonies and was lucky to find a reasonably priced box of the Conifer recordings. Hearing the dances in other iterations makes for enjoyable listening. I read a biography of him and was truly sad for him and myself when I reached the final pages of the book.

[@alanmcginn4796]

Dave. Great video. I have these recordings from the original Naxos ‘white box’ issues and they are fabulous. Loved your video this morning walking the dog and listened to the first 4 symphonies today. Remaining ones coming tomorrow. Hope everybody on here is healthy and listening to lots of music!

[@mrbigarms]

These are stunning recordings of amazing music, I collected all these symphonies as single discs and treasure them. It's been a disgrace that this genius of a composer has received such little attention from the recording companies and concert promoters. I just cant fathom it out, yes, he was a difficult and complex man but the music is totally amazing and deserves far more attention.

[@hamidrezahabibi8111]

Magnificent piece of video about a magnificent composer 🎼 Sir Malcolm Arnold 💎♾️🌞🎺🎶

[@stevesincock941]

Thank you David for this excellent review of a major British composer. As someone from the UK I very much appreciate this. Superb set it looks like. Yes - a box set of his film scores would be great too.

[@paullewis2413]

Extraordinary that I’m really enjoying Malcolm Arnold’s symphonies (a recent discovery for me) and Berlioz, along with Sibelius, is also my favourite composer. 😊

[@stuartraybould6433]

Than you so much for doing this review. After watching this I purchased this set and also the Bax set. Loving both, fantastic music I wouldn't have heard without your videos. A very big thank you 👍

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Glad I could help!

[@saltyfellow]

Hi David! Thanks for the sharing our your wisdom. The 1st movement of the 4th really makes me think of Bernstein west side symphonic dances. With the bongo fast run and the strong brass. Then comes an harp and celesta kind of Broadway standard tune. It's almost like a Sinatra tune. Arnold really could throw anything to the score and make it sound great... original. Great fun to listen to!

[@folanpaul]

Indeed, I couldn't agree more. At some stage last year I nominated the big tune from the 1st movement of the 4th for David's world's best melodies series. If Vaughan Williams's 2nd Symphony was a portrait of London during the Edwardian period, nightlife and all, then Arnold's rip roaring 4th was a muti-cultural update, complete with a vibrant nocturnal stroll through London streets that VW would never have dreamed of. That 'Broadway tune' is exactly like a respite: the rambler sticks his head through the door of a local dance hall for a moment to hear the latest plush pop tune before turning back into the dark night.

[@Coneman3]

Love Arnold symphonies

[@stravinsky4]

Good stuff, thanks Dave!

[@brydon10]

Great talk and review Dave. Thank you for showing me Arnold, I'm loving his music.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

My pleasure!

[@martinbynion1589]

I came very late to Malcolm Arnold; tried the late symphonies first; loved them and am now sailing through the earlier ones, with the dances still to come. This is terrific music, very well played and conducted. Think you don't like late 20th century music? Try these and see how easily they can change your mind. Thanks so much, Dave!!

[@shantihealer]

So grateful for your championing of this hugely underrated and neglected composer. Fascinating talk, lots of insight and I agree with everything. The EMI set you refer to was probably the one called Arnold Conducts Arnold, including symphonies 1, 2, & 5 and the gorgeous piano concerto for 3 hands. Why is this so rarely played? Everyone seems to conduct Arnold really well including the composer himself. The scherzo of No.5 as you say is fabulous with its infectious off-beat rhythm. Thanks again!

[@johnwright7557]

I have great admiration for Arnold’s symphonies and his other orchestral and brass music. On top of that, in my opinion he wrote the best Guitar Concerto of all. I much prefer his to any of Rodrigo’s.

[@bart1366]

This was awesome. Once again, you introduce me to great music. Thank you! Speaking of 20th. century composers and Naxos, how about a review of the Lutoslawski Naxos box? It's fantastic and it's still available.

[@davidowen9308]

I heard all the symphonies a few years back at one of the Northampton Arnold festivals. Absolutely typically, nearly all were played by amateur orchestras -- just about the only way (apart from a recent Prom) you'll get to hear these great works live as opposed to the must less substantial various dance collections which get an occasional outing. I'm quite happy regarding him as the most talented and varied of all the English symphonists and am grateful for any plug for his serious work from someone like David. Thank God, he has fared much better on CD. If I had to choose, I'd actually give the nod to Handley over the nine but you really want both!

[@tippettt]

I have to admit that I've discovered Malcolm Arnold after I saw your video - and I must say this was a brilliant discovery in a time when I thought I was getting redundant listening over and over the same symphony cycles (Mahler, Shostakovich, VW etc.). Malcolm Arnold is indeed a very good symphonist and also a great (neglected) composer. I've bought the Sony (Handley) symphony cycle and the Chandos one (Hickox & Gamba) and they're quite fine - each one in it's own way... The Naxos box it's on it's way. There are also some Charles Groves videos on KZbin with some of the symphonies - which I find better than other recordings on the market. To bad there are few printed recordings with Groves conducting Arnold on sale...

[@ronnyskaar3737]

I discovered Arnold in my youth for his work with Jon Lord and Deep Purple.

[@willduffay2207]

Many thanks David. Good review.

[@sgfnorth]

Great talk David - a master. Absolutely agree on his film music as suites.

[@bbailey7818]

I'm glad you mentioned George Lloyd, he seems to have gone back into the shadows again. I have the Conifer Arnold series, the EMI 2&5 (Groves and Arnold), the short opera The Dancing Master, censored by the BBC, but now I see I must get this Naxos box, though I got the single cd with the 9th. Yes, one of the greats. (And what is Halloween, without Tam O'Shanter?!)

[@warrenstutely7151]

His guitar concerto is a real masterpiece. Thanks for featuring the box set symphonies. Warren

[@daviddorfman320]

Thanks for putting a well-deserved spotlight on Arnold. The set is a wonderful opportunity for a binge! I won't be purchasing the new box because I still have the original jewel case edition before the first Naxos box was released.

[@Muzakman37]

Totally agree that repeated listening reveals so much more of his intentions. It's easy to see some of the outer movements as pastiche and with a lot of light music elements thrown in (lots of oom cha's all over the place), but it's part of his kaleidoscopic approach, and it dawned on me years ago when listening to some of the slow movements in these symphonies that this guy really had depth, there's plenty of tension and intricacy going on in some of those those slow movements that reminded me of Mahler, and I realized the splashes of light music in the outer movements are a device to counter-balance the weightiness of his slow movements, and convey his general frame of mind, all over the place. It won't be to everyone's tastes, but I think it works. He must've known he'd be derided for using oom cha's & other light music devices in his serious works, and yet he still did it in symphony after symphony, so much so that you'd have to say it was either entirely subconscious, or he was deliberately trying to piss some people off (that really does sound like him), or he felt it was integral to his voice, or maybe all three!

[@robertbubeck9194]

Thanks, Dave! This set arrived last weekend and it is certainly the joy you indicate. A minor quibble that I would offer is that I still find Arnold's own recording of the dances (incomplete) on that classic Lyrita recording to have a touch more lilt and to be more special-sounding. Nonetheless, a great (and affordable) set.

[@scagooch]

I like arnold. I like his style.

[@johns9624]

Until I found that, like Mozart, there are two ways to listen to Arnold, I underestimated him. Because it's tuneful, rhythmically exciting and well-orchestrated, it works well as background music. You can just enjoy the sound it makes. It's when you sit down and give it your full attention that you start to hear what it's saying, and that's when I began to appreciate him. Maybe it's that highly-approachable exterior that encourages many to dismiss him as a light-music composer. For sceptics, up there with his later symphonies I'd recommend his Guitar Concerto op.67.

[@bannan61]

Great video Dave. What a fine composer and what lovely performances.

[@Warp75]

I ordered this because of your review & I wasn’t the slightest bit disappointed. Thanks DH

[@thiinkerca]

I had the older box set and somehow lost it. Great to see this back including the dances. Just bought it . Great symphonies underrated composer.

[@dmntuba]

Good stuff from beginning to end👍

[@kennethkleszynski1744]

Great talk, Dave! Agreed that the Arnold symphonies repay repeated listening. These works have been well treated on disc, with three first-rate cycles now available. Too bad his music hasn't gotten more attention this centenary year, especially the film scores.

[@hjjou7350]

Great video! Very informative, and I do need to revisit his music more. My first encounter with Arnold's music in early 80's was his short (~9 mins) harmonica concerto. Though not his most well-known work, it is one of the best in classical harmonica repertoire.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

Great advocacy, David. Fine effort.

[@aaronclarke2261]

Dave, have you yet made a video comparing the total symphonic outputs of individual composers against one another? Like, "20 greatest 20th century cycles" where Shostakovich and Englund and Martinu and Arnold and Prokofiev etc. may perhaps make mention? It'd be interesting to hear which greatest x number of bodies of symphonic work in various categories make your list. Good discussion topic for composer survey type videos, maybe? Anyway, love you, man. Great stuff as always.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Good idea!

[@curseofmillhaven1057]

I don't know if it's an apocrafal story but when Walton was working on his (mainly unused) score for the film The Battle of Britain he asked Arnold to help out (Walton used to grind slow compositionally speaking, as opposed to Arnold, who as DH noted, knocked out the score for Bridge on the River Kwai in ten days). Arnold conducted the fantastic Battle in the Air cue (a vicious, desperate dance of death, a kind of ultra grim version of the Scherzo in Walton's 1st Symphony) which actually got in the film where unusually it was the sole accompaniment to the scene (no sound effects or dialogue). A few people have said it has some characteristic Arnold touches in it's makeup too and that's quite possible.

[@Mackeson3]

I heard that When Malcolm Williamson* was appointed "Master of The Queen's Music" William Walton was furious saying "They gave it to the wrong Malcolm!" 😡 * This is the same Williamson by the way, who said that Benjamin Britten's music "Wouldn't last" 😮

[@ftumschk]

@@Mackeson3 Assuming that anecdote's true... kudos to Walton, I say!

[@markwolf1374]

A EMI (Warner) box would be welcome as well. No complete symphonies or dances (as far as I’m aware) but we’d get Arnold conducting his own works, a bunch of concertos, a few symphonies, etc.

[@grebochess]

Dear Dave, thanks for your review of the complete Malcolm Arnold Symphonies boxed set. I was familiar with some of Arnold's output but never took it too seriously. I bought the discs and agree, he is a fabulous composer. The beautiful lyricism of the 5th symphony and its quirky finale I especially enjoyed. I know you have reviewed some of William Alwyn's music. I wonder what of your thoughts on the music of Edmund Rubbra, that other fine composer in the triumvirate of composers from the town of Northampton England. I love Rubbras Violin concerto and I am just getting to know his Symphonies through the Richard Hickox Chandos recordings. Best wishes, keep up the good work and keep on listening!

[@EddieJazzFan]

This is great, considering the Vernon Handley/Sony Box is currently $499 on Amazon!

[@Coneman3]

I have them all as separate releases.

[@francispanny5068]

This set of symphonies seem to belong up there with the Chandos set with the LSO - Hickox and BBC Phil - Gamba

[@danieldroppa3170]

Great chat about unknown composer for me. Will the Abstract sounds, concrete objects continue on your channel?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Sure it will.

[@eugenebraig413]

Fantastic, and an excellent opportunity; I love Malcolm Arnold, but too little of his material lives on my own shelves. A couple lesser known bits of which I'm fond: He wrote an excellent guitar concerto for Julian Bream. Arnold's orchestral trademarks are readily evident there: the quirky references to jazz, the subtle (or perhaps less so) irony . . . And of course, Bream's legendary soloing is an added bonus. Arnold orchestrated Jon Lord's Concerto for [rock] Group (i.e., Deep Purple) and Orchestra. Unfortunately, the original score was lost. There have been at least two efforts to aurally reconstruct the score after Arnold's retirement and subsequent death. Neither have the depth of the original, and the original recording with the Royal Philharmonic under Arnold is thus the only I would recommend (whatever you think of the music itself). Lord was a little ashamed of the need to have somebody else orchestrate his music. He read up on the subject and both wrote and orchestrated his Gemini Suite the very next year.

[@fulltongrace7899]

Jon Lord’s Concerto for Orchestra is an amazing amalgamation of orchestra and rock group, in my opinion being the best attempt at bringing these two worlds together. Didn’t know Malcolm orchestrated it. At the premiere of the Concerto was also the premiere of Malcolm Arnold’s 6th Symphony..

[@eugenebraig413]

@@fulltongrace7899, I quite agree.

[@Listenerandlearner870]

The Tony Palmer film on him tells/shows alot. Classical music doesn't have to be presentable and posh and frightfully respectable. His living situation in the last few years of his life was a quite special example of caring. And the music is very imagunative and inspired.

[@dsammut8831]

Arnold rules!

[@pabmusic1]

You forgot the Cornish Dances.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I knew I was missing something...

[@richardegarr1441]

Love these pieces… particularly the late ones.. on another tack where can I buy t-shirts???!? I really want a black xl with abnormal is ok.. stupid is not.. in nyc late November 🎹🤘🍸

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Merch store coming shortly--we're in final stages of getting it going, thank you. Will you be giving concerts here?

[@richardegarr1441]

@@DavesClassicalGuide just teaching at Juilliard this trip.. b minor mass with Philharmonia and J415 in Jan /February🥂

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@richardegarr1441 Spendid! Safe travels!

[@michelangelomulieri5134]

Sorry for being out of subject, but Dear Dave how about if you launched a petition addressed to cd labels to issue a commemorative box for Nelson Freire who passed away recently? Thank you in advance and again I beg your pardon for butting in.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

He's not even cold in the ground, and I suspect they are already thinking about it. Personally, I don't think it's a critic's place to act as a partisan for any artist, whether he likes him very much or not. I would welcome a box devoted to Freire (remember Sony already did one), but I would never lobby for it.

[@michelangelomulieri5134]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I see your point. Thank you!

[@Butteblack]

I received my box today and sadly it had been ripped open and all the cds were stolen. Now working with amazon to get a refund or replacement. Be careful out there.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Terrible, but I kind of like the idea of criminals listening to Arnold.

[@ThreadBomb]

I wish I could share the general enthusiasm for Arnold. I started with the 9th and liked it, but working backwards the other symphonies seemed to be just pastiches of "light music" tropes, blandly obvious and melodically unmemorable.

[@henrygingercat]

Yup! I don't get the tortured genius/genial tunesmith either. OK at film music but.....