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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Guitar concerto, Op. 67 |
| 2. English dances, Op. 27 & Op. 33 |
| 3. Symphony for brass instruments, Op. 123 |
| 4. Quintet for brass, Op. 73 |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
This two-CD set of works by Malcolm Arnold is an enjoyable, if perhaps not wholly distinctive compilation. The standout item has to be the marvellous set of eight English Dances that Arnold penned from 1950-51. Brimful of giddy colour and indelible melody (including, in the fifth dance that irresistibly perky theme from the long-running TV series What the Papers Say), they're a genuine tonic. Boult directs with splendid understanding and affectionate gusto; Decca's beautifully balanced mono production from 1954 remains astonishingly vivid. Written for Julian Bream, the Guitar Concerto of 1959 falls most appealingly on the ear (the first movement boasts a peach of a tune), and soloist Eduardo Fernandez is especially perceptive in the smoky half-lights of the central Lento (a threnody for the great jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt). Of the two works for brass, the comparative exuberance of the 1961 Quintet contrasts strikingly with the darker-hued, altogether more angular demeanour of the four-movement Symphony from 1978. Certainly, both pieces are immaculately laid out for their respective forces and stunningly well played here producing a first-rate sound. --Andrew Achenbach
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great performances of Arnold's music, and a fine selection, 10 Jun 2010
By LJM - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Malcolm Arnold (Audio CD)
Malcolm Arnold is a British composer mainly known for his lighter works and film music, for instance to David Lean's famous 1957 film "The Bridge on the River Kwai". On the serious side, there are nine symphonies comparable to Bax and Vaughan Williams. Here we have two cycles on record, Handley's (Decca) and Penny's (Naxos).
This edition features a minor selection of the lighter Arnold, his English Dances op. 27 & 33 in the classic performances with Boult. This is very easy and accessible music, with strong connections to British folk tunes. Frankly, it's perhaps not the kind of music that attracts repeated listening - at least not in my ears.
By contrast, the remaining works really do. These are less light and more or less or even far more serious.
The Guitar Concerto op. 67 is one of the finest of its kind, in my view much greater than anything we have from Rodrigo. It's both light and, given that delicate lightness, almost disturbingly serious. It was originally written for Julian Bream. There are two recordings of this work with Bream, the most significant the one with the composer himself conducting the Melos ensamble: Sir Malcolm Arnold: The Collection. The current recording is however the very best non-Arnold/Bream version of the guitar concerto, preferrable to the other Bream recording as well (Bream/Rattle on EMI): English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Barry Wordsworth with Eduardo Fernandez on guitar.
The next great Arnold work in this selection is the Brass Quintet, op. 73. This is superb and memorable music and the performance here, with Philip Jones Brass Ensamble, is outstanding. This is also the case with Arnold's Symphony for Brass Instruments, op. 123, also included in this collection with the same ensamble. These two works show Arnold from his best side, which include his jazz influences. It is excellent, moving, and impressive brass music, comparable to Gustav Holst's two suites (cf. Fennell's 2nd recording, Holst Suites 1 & 2 / Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks / Stars and Stripes (Stereo Hybrid SACD)).
Recommended for the Guitar concerto and - in particular - the two superb works for brass.
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great CD, 8 Oct 2007
By Reza Ganjavi - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Malcolm Arnold (Audio CD)
I'm not a great fan of British classical music but this is a great CD.
Eduardo is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world. And his performance on this CD is amazing.
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