Born in Northampton in 1921, Malcolm Arnold was one of the leading British composers of the 20th century.

A fine trumpeter, he began his professional life in 1941 as Principal Trumpet with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The success of his early compositions championed by the LPO - including the Horn Concerto No 1 conducted by Ernest Ansermet - soon set the young Malcolm Arnold towards a life dedicated to composition.

Arnold's legacy is a truly remarkable catalogue of music, including nine symphonies, seven ballets, over twenty concertos, two string quartets, choral music and music for brass-band and wind-band. There are also over a hundred film scores, and among these are some of the finest ever composed for the medium, including Bridge on the River Kwai for which he won an Oscar.

Malcolm Arnold's belief that "... music is a social act of communication, a gesture of friendship" underpins his entire creative output; from the "brilliant light and Stygian shade" found in Symphony 1, through to the joyous tunes of many of his concert pieces, such as the ever popular English Dances sets 1 & 2. Malcolm Arnold died on 23 September 2006 at the age of 84.

SELECTED WORKS

English Dances – Set 1 op. 27
for full orchestra
Picc.2.2.2.2 – 4.3.3.1 – 2perc – Hp – Strgs
Duration: 8’
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English Dances – Set 2 op. 33
for full orchestra
Picc.2.2.2.2 – 4.3.3.1 – 2perc – Hp.Cel – Strgs
Duration: 9'
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Serenade
for small orchestra
2.2.2.2 – 2.2.0.0 – Timp – Strgs
Duration: 14’
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Symphony for strings
Strgs
Duration: 22’
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Symphony no. 1
for full orchestra
3.2.2.2 – 4.3.3.1 – Timp.3perc – Hp – Strgs
Duration: 29’
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Clarinet concerto
for clarinet and strings
Strgs
Duration: 17’
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Horn concerto 1 1 op. 11
0.0.0.0 – 3.2.2.2 – timp – strgs
Duration: 22’
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