Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006)
Four Scottish Dances, Op.59 (1957) [9:38]
Symphony No.3, Op.63 (1957) [34:51]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Malcolm Arnold
rec. Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, November 1958
EVEREST SBDR 3021 [45:29]
I first came across Malcolm Arnold at grammar school. Mr Maclean, the
music teacher, let us hear a recording of the fantastic Tam O’Shanter
Overture. Shortly afterwards, I discovered the delicious English Dances
on a Decca Eclipse LP, Festival of English Music Volume 1. Not
many years later, I heard this version of the Scottish Dances
played by the LPO with composer conducting. As a Scot myself, though long
exiled ‘furth of the border’, these dances have always been
important to me. They may be pastiche: they might be patronising to Scotsmen,
yet they are near perfect in their almost cinematographic picturing of
the country and its people. It matches both the stereotypical image of
the nation as well as something much more subtle and genuine. If pressed,
I would say that that third dance, the ‘allegretto’ is one
of the most flawless evocations of the misty Western isles written by
anyone - of any nationality. It moves me to tears, with remembrance of
things and people past. Would that I could have seen these isles with
Miss ***. It is lovely to have these Dances in my music collection once
again.
Malcolm Arnold’s Third Symphony is not one that I have listened
to very often. If pressed, I am a huge fan of the Fifth and of the First.
The Third was commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society
and was first performed at the Royal Festival Hall on 2 December 1957.
John Pritchard conducted. This work has been defined as rather ‘gloomy’
with the slow movement being an elegiac ‘funeral march’. There
is a little light relief at the start of the final ‘allegro con
brio’ however this is short-lived. I was most impressed by the first
movement, which Paul Serotsky has suggested is in ‘Arnold’s
new linear style’: it is a kind of twisted sonata-form. Yet, in
spite of the fact that there appears to be no typically ‘memorable
tune’ throughout the symphony there are many fingerprints of Malcolm
Arnold the ‘film composer’ and writer of the very music that
frustrated the cognoscenti of the fifties and sixties. It has been a pleasure
during this review to have listened to this Symphony after many years
in abeyance.
Bearing in mind that this recording was made some 56 years ago, there
is nothing left to be desired. Arnold handles the orchestra with consummate
skill as he negotiates the pages of this reflective symphonic score. The
technical quality of the sound is beyond reproach. The liner notes by
Paul Affelder, although somewhat gnomic, are of great interest and provide
all the information that the listener requires to enjoy these two excellent
works. The original artwork has been provided from the 1958 LP. The relatively
short duration of the CD is more than compensated for by the ‘budget’
price.
There are currently some five accounts of Arnold’s Third Symphony
in the catalogues including versions by Hickox, Penny and Handley. These
are joined by many recordings of the Scottish Dances in both
orchestral and band arrangements. Without wishing to disparage any of
these, I wholeheartedly endorse this present Everest re-release, in spite
of it being more than half a century old. I have listened to the Symphony
twice as part of this review, and am coming to understand that it is one
of the composer’s masterpieces, even if it is in some ways uncharacteristic
of what we imagine his ‘style’ to be. I just love it. The
Scottish Dances will always have a place in my heart –
no matter the version - but the set on this disc is perfect.
John France
Previous review: Dan
Morgan
Review index: Arnold
symphonies
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