# SS 24.04.21 - Arnold #1



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*Malcolm Arnold (1921 - 2006)
*
Symphony No. 1, op. 22

1. Allegro 
2. Andantino
3. Vivace con fuoco
---------------------

Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


----------



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

We'll try another Malcolm Arnold symphony this week with his first written in 1949 and first performed in 1951. This is an incredibly well-balanced symphony with plenty of passages for brass - Arnold himself was a trumpeter, a very fine opening, more sedate second movement and a quasi fugue at the end. The live performance with Gamba and the BBC is quite good.


----------



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

I will also give this Naxos disc with Andrew Penny conducting the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland a listen.


----------



## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

I have one disc of it, Keith Lockhart conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra. While there are inventive moments and mesmerizing melodic lines; if I may be blunt, there are also moments that linger on too much IMO. Still I found him one of the more interesting among his contemporaries.


----------



## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll listen to Vernon Handley here.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I have that Conifer box but I also picked up three Naxos CDs for a dollar each. I prefer the sound of the Naxos recordings.


----------



## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Arnold: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox

I am going with this one on Chandos


----------



## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I'll join you Roger - Hickox for me.
Not that it has anything to do with the music but I love the covers of that Chamdos series of Arnold Symphonies.










*ETA* - Having listened to the Symphony a couple of times this morning I can see where KiKi (post #4) is coming from, at times the material may be spun out a little thinly but as a first venture into Symphonic composition it is a better than fair attempt. From time to time I hear little influences of Sibelius, maybe just me, but on the whole it sounds like Arnold which has got to be a good thing. For me the more concise third movement works best, but I got enjoyment from the whole piece.
Is it as good as his 5th & 6th symphonies - no not really but then again they are excellent compositions imo.

I may listen to the BBC MM disc later if time permits.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I shall join in with the Hickox version as per above
I have tended to find Arnold’s music not all that inspiring but am keen to give him a go again


----------



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Rogerx said:


> Arnold: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2
> 
> London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox
> 
> I am going with this one on Chandos


Hickox for me also


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

A Penny for my thoughts.


----------



## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I have Andrew Penny's recordings on Naxos, and these were my first foray into Malcolm Arnold's music, so I have very positive feelings about them.

But I do prefer Handley's box, and will listen to the recording included therein.


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I'll go with the Penny recording too (as it's close to hand).









PS. Apologies for the shocking photo!


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Must agree with comments made by others about this symphony. Some lovely melodies especially in the slower parts of this symphony and it certainly doesn’t outstay its welcome. Good to have symphonies such as this on the SS list and gives the opportunity to explore some less famous composers


----------



## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

I listen to the Handley more often than the Hickox recordings, so I'll go with Richard Hickox and Chandos to try and even things up a bit.


----------

