Malcolm Arnold Festival

[Petrushka]

The BBCCO concert was a... different experience.

Was this the first time Peter Donohoe has had to play an entire concerto (or something tantamount to one anyway) for a second time at the end of a concert? Things were a bit... eventful audience-wise despite a rather small attendance.

The upside was that the 2nd performance of the John Field Fantasy, sure to be the one broadcast, was an absolute belter. The most affecting work on the programme too IMO - the 7th symphony seemed a bit heavy on somewhat empty crash, bang, wallop at times as it does on recordings - just personal opinion though obviously.

Can you expand on this somewhat, SimonB?

[Simon B]

Exceptionally noisy children (and associated adults) in the audience, their accompanying adults seemingly oblivious to, well, everything, including the chap tinkling the ivories basically coming to a halt in a cadenza to dispatch multiple filthy looks (though he was, of course, the model of professionalism). A rather uncomfortable exchange of views in the audience ensued at the end of the first half. Not nice.

[mercia]

this coming Tuesday's Radio3 evening concert, as I'm sure we are all aware

and tonight Arnold conducts Arnold

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06h9gmd

[kea]

OT: do people have any particular recommendations for recordings of the 7th symphony? I know there are versions on Naxos, Chandos, Conifer (OOP now but *cough* available online) and Dutton, some with quite different timings (eg first movements ranging from 12 to 16 minutes), and reportedly one by the composer himself that I don't know where to locate. I remember being fairly impressed with it some time ago (particularly the last movement), but neglected to rip the library CD to my hard disk...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Exceptionally noisy children (and associated adults) in the audience, adults seemingly oblivious to, well, everything, including the chap tinkling the ivories basically coming to a halt in a cadenza to dispatch multiple filthy looks (though he was, of course, the model of professionalism). A rather uncomfortable exchange of views in the audience ensued at the end of the first half. Not nice.

Extraordinary. Were they expecting Music from the Bond films, perhaps?

[richardfinegold]

OT: do people have any particular recommendations for recordings of the 7th symphony? I know there are versions on Naxos, Chandos, Conifer (OOP now but *cough* available online) and Dutton, some with quite different timings (eg first movements ranging from 12 to 16 minutes), and reportedly one by the composer himself that I don't know where to locate. I remember being fairly impressed with it some time ago (particularly the last movement), but neglected to rip the library CD to my hard disk...

I have the Naxos cycle, and have given the shebang a listen recently as I am transferring my collection to a HD and started with the letter "A". I have no comparators for the 7th but do for several of the other works (Vernon Handley) and the Naxos cycle compares well in those works.

[Petrushka]

Exceptionally noisy children (and associated adults) in the audience, their accompanying adults seemingly oblivious to, well, everything, including the chap tinkling the ivories basically coming to a halt in a cadenza to dispatch multiple filthy looks (though he was, of course, the model of professionalism). A rather uncomfortable exchange of views in the audience ensued at the end of the first half. Not nice.

Now we know where the Proms audience goes to once the season is over.

[Roehre]

tuesday October 20th:

Arnold Festival on R3

[EdgeleyRob]

OT: do people have any particular recommendations for recordings of the 7th symphony? I know there are versions on Naxos, Chandos, Conifer (OOP now but *cough* available online) and Dutton, some with quite different timings (eg first movements ranging from 12 to 16 minutes), and reportedly one by the composer himself that I don't know where to locate. I remember being fairly impressed with it some time ago (particularly the last movement), but neglected to rip the library CD to my hard disk...

Hi Kea.

Little to chose between RPO Handley and NSO of Ireland Penny (both around 38ish minutes).
BBC PO Gamba at around 33 mins is far too quick,what a pity Richard Hickox didn't complete his cycle.
I don't know the RSNO Yates on Dutton.
Apparently the composer conducted a performance that was taped which comes in at 45 minutes !!!!!!!
Anyone heard this ?

the 7th symphony seemed a bit heavy on somewhat empty crash, bang, wallop at times

That's a pity and a pity too about the nonsense at the concert.

I wonder if one has to have experienced (or been close to someone who has) mental illness to really understand this work.
It's dark,disturbing,painfull and maybe even manic I think,and yet dedicated to his children.
I understand it,or at least I think I do,and have some thoughts about it which are too personal to discuss here.

Whatever (cliché alert) it's a towering masterpiece

[Andrew Slater]

Hi Kea.

BBC PO Gamba at around 33 mins is far too quick,what a pity Richard Hickox didn't complete his cycle.
I don't know the RSNO Yates on Dutton.

The RSNO Yates recording on Dutton is, if anything, faster, certainly at the beginning of the first movement (TT = 31:13) - and the Festival performance seemed to be on a par with it. After being shocked initially, I actually prefer this speed now. I found the festival performance electrifying.

A Malcolm Arnold Society member successfully bid for a score of the seventh symphony which was checked for the metronome marking at the opening of the first movement: minim = 110, time sig. 2/2, i.e. 55 bars per minute: Martin Yates seems to have the tempo about right.

[Andrew Slater]

Exceptionally noisy children (and associated adults) in the audience, their accompanying adults seemingly oblivious to, well, everything, including the chap tinkling the ivories basically coming to a halt in a cadenza to dispatch multiple filthy looks (though he was, of course, the model of professionalism). A rather uncomfortable exchange of views in the audience ensued at the end of the first half. Not nice.

For explanations see the Festival Facebook page.


We were all grateful that Peter Donohoe repeated the performance; otherwise it would certainly not have been broadcast. For his efforts - widely considered an even better performance than the first - he got a standing ovation.

Some concerned audience members spoke to the orchestra manager after the concert, and although this was an unprecedented incident it doesn't seem to have put them off: apparently they'll be back. We're all keeping our fingers crossed.

[EdgeleyRob]

The RSNO Yates recording on Dutton is, if anything, faster, certainly at the beginning of the first movement (TT = 31:13) - and the Festival performance seemed to be on a par with it. After being shocked initially, I actually prefer this speed now. I found the festival performance electrifying.

A Malcolm Arnold Society member successfully bid for a score of the seventh symphony which was checked for the metronome marking at the opening of the first movement: minim = 110, time sig. 2/2, i.e. 55 bars per minute: Martin Yates seems to have the tempo about right.

That's interesting Andrew,thanks.
I probably need to buy the disc.
Are you aware of the 45 minute Malcolm Arnold version ?
I'd love to hear it.

[clive heath]

I've got a fair chunk of the complete symphonies with Rumon Gamba conducting from broadcasts in 2004 or thereabouts on cassettes. Were they issued? Also, on a freebie that soon lost its appeal, a Sony Minidisc, the 5 relevant "Composer of the Week"s at the same time. These are worth repeating I would have thought ( or did I miss them?.)

[Andrew Slater]

Are you aware of the 45 minute Malcolm Arnold version ?
I'd love to hear it.

I haven't heard it mentioned. I'll try to make some enquiries.

[EdgeleyRob]

I haven't heard it mentioned. I'll try to make some enquiries.

Thank you.

This from Music Web

Broadcast tapes of versions directed by the composer, by Charles Groves and by Edward Downes are closer to the 45 minute mark.

the first broadcast performance of the Seventh Symphony in which the BBC Symphony Orchestra was conducted by the composer on 16 March 1977