[GlendaleViper]

Managed to find a few Arnold pieces today (at a great price), specifically Symphonies 5 & 6, and 7 & 8, on Naxos, with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, conducted by Penny. Can't wait to get these home and dig in!

It's been a while, but I wanted to revive this thread. Anyone else take a stab at Arnold's work?

 

[Doc Sarvis]

I have the Naxos/ Penny white box and have enjoyed it thoroughly. Also, I have a couple of Arnold's symphonies (3 comes to mind) on Everest vinyl with the composer conducting. Really great recordings if you can find them - I'm not sure if they ever got released on CD???

 

[Purgatos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark from HFR /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll join you in pounding the table-- it's amazing stuff. Fans of Mahler and Shostakovich, get thee some Malcolm Arnold, now!, and then report back here. M

Well with this review I HAVE to get a symphonic set.

 

[GlendaleViper]

After a run through of symphonies 5 and 6 (not in ideal circumstances - Grados on a train!!!), I am chomping at the bit to get home and plop on the K701s. This guy is absolutely gonzo - I love the flowing, light melodies laced with manic brass/percussion whomps. There are some of the prettiest melodies for the most delicate instruments I've ever heard, too.

Great stuff. A little hard to make sense of at times, but his heavy percussion use and manic style are hard to ignore. This is also my first taste of 20th century symphonies (along with Shostakovich - got his 1st, 3rd and 13th yesterday too). Great stuff. Thanks again for the tip. This will make for some awesome repeat listening!

RIP.

 

[Raptor34]

I only have two recordings (shame on me) of Arnold. His 7th and 8th symphonies on Conifer Classics, with Vernon Handley/RPO and "Arnold Overtures" with the composer conducting the LPO. Both recordings are excellent, especially the Arnold Overtures, (Reference Recordings RR-48cd). I'm listening to the seventh right now and the second movement has me all teary eyed! Very powerful, yet accessible music.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor34 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very powerful, yet accessible music.

Very, very accessible - and yet, I just know I'll be listening to these symphonies for years to come. This is not shallow music. And, not since Mussorgsky have I had classical melodies in my head like a radio tune!

[EDIT] "Damn", now I have Mussorgsky in my head!

 

[Raptor34]

I knew I had more Arnold somewhere in my collection. Found his 3rd symphony as a filler on a Vaughan Williams Symphony no. 9 CD (EVC9001). Arnold is conducting again and the recording is very *very* good. It's release date is 1994 on a "35 MM Ultra Analog" 20bit Super Bit Mapping reissue. It's original recording date was 1959

This has to be one of the best reissues I've ever heard. Crystal clear, impressive sonics. The VW 9th was not well served and was a disappointment so I never listened to the Arnold until now. A real find. I just ordered the Penny set by the way.

EDIT: I just listened to the Vaughan Williams no. 9 mentioned above and I must amend my first impression of this performance. It's the first recording of it and VW passed away just hours before the session began, making it an historical recording of some importance. It is in fact a very good reading, with very good sonics and I stand corrected.

 

[jirams]

Complete Arnold Symphonies :-

The Naxos Penny Irish Orchestra set is top class - Symph#5 is my favourite - ENJOY !

 

[kevinsinnott]

I've got many of the discs others have mentioned and I enjoy both Arnolds' works.

I accidentally found an Arnold Guitar Concerto, performed by Eduardo Fernandez, an absolutely stellar guitarist, accompanied by the English Chamber Orchestra (Barry Wordsworth, conducting). It's become one of my favorite guitar concertos and the Decca recording is stellar. It made me seek out other Eduardo Fernandez recordings - he's THAT good and I never heard of him until I got the disc (spotted Arnold's name).

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor34 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I knew I had more Arnold somewhere in my collection. Found his 3rd symphony as a filler on a Vaughan Williams Symphony no. 9 CD (EVC9001). Arnold is conducting again and the recording is very *very* good. It's release date is 1994 on a "35 MM Ultra Analog" 20bit Super Bit Mapping reissue. It's original recording date was 1959 This has to be one of the best reissues I've ever heard. Crystal clear, impressive sonics. The VW 9th was not well served and was a disappointment so I never listened to the Arnold until now. A real find. I just ordered the Penny set by the way.

I'm sure that recording of the 3rd is the same one I have on vinyl...

 

[seacard]

Inspired by this thread, and the "little-known classical music" thread, I've just spent a few hundred dollars on a number of boxed sets (damn this place):

Tubin Complete Symphonies
Alfven Complete Symphonies
Schmidt Complete Symphonies
Holmboe Complete Symphonies
Atterberg Complete Symphonies

So expensive, but a lot of new music that I'm excited about trying out.

By the way, has anybody listened to Robert Simpson's symphonies? I'm very interested in those as well, but figured 5 box sets would hold me over for now.

 

[Raptor34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sure that recording of the 3rd is the same one I have on vinyl...

SDBR3021? What a treasure.

 

[mbhaub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seacard /img/forum/go_quote.gif Inspired by this thread, and the "little-known classical music" thread, I've just spent a few hundred dollars on a number of boxed sets (damn this place): Tubin Complete Symphonies Alfven Complete Symphonies Schmidt Complete Symphonies Holmboe Complete Symphonies Atterberg Complete Symphonies So expensive, but a lot of new music that I'm excited about trying out. By the way, has anybody listened to Robert Simpson's symphonies? I'm very interested in those as well, but figured 5 box sets would hold me over for now.

Oh, did you hit a mark with me. I have each of the sets you listed -- and love them all. The Tubin (on BIS) were a revelation, and were the Holmboe symphonies.
If you liked the Holmboe, you will probably like the Simpsons: but be sure you know what you're getting into. This is deadly serious, difficult, complex music. Try the sound samples on Amazon before buying! I picked up the 9th years ago when it came out and couldn't stand it. But over time, it has grown on me and I've really come round to Simpson's sound world. Great stuff.
If you like Holmboe, and respond well to Simpson, make sure you add these symphony sets:

Humphrey Searle on CPO. You had better like 12-tone a lot. My wife
complains his music sounds like a horror film soundtrack. Exactly.

Edmund Rubbra on Chandos.

Arnold Bax on Naxos. Great stuff.

I'm glad to see Schmidt listed, as he is my favorite composer of all -- unforturnately, the Chandos set with Jervi is not that good and I fear people will misjudge Schmidt from those recordings. There isn't any one ideal set of Schmidt, but the new Querstand set from Germany is surely a better representation of Schmidt than what Jarvi gave us.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor34 /img/forum/go_quote.gif SDBR3021? What a treasure.

That's the one! 3rd Symphony and Four Scottish Dances; guy in a kilt on the cover. NM condition to boot!

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seacard /img/forum/go_quote.gif Inspired by this thread, and the "little-known classical music" thread, I've just spent a few hundred dollars on a number of boxed sets (damn this place): Tubin Complete Symphonies Alfven Complete Symphonies Schmidt Complete Symphonies Holmboe Complete Symphonies Atterberg Complete Symphonies So expensive, but a lot of new music that I'm excited about trying out. By the way, has anybody listened to Robert Simpson's symphonies? I'm very interested in those as well, but figured 5 box sets would hold me over for now.

I have the Atterburg and Schmidt sets and love them both. You won't be sorry.

I've waded in the water on Simpson - I have his 9th and 3rd/5th discs. Tonal music stretched to its limit. It's as if the Mahler strain had gone on for decades without any Second Viennese School at all. Simpson cites Brickner as his primary influence; sounds to me like Bruckner after a few hits of LSD. Mind blowing to say the least; highly recommended - I really like it when I'm in the right mood

IIRC I think Tyson is a Simpson admirer as well.