Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Richard Arnell - The Great Detective, Ballet Music - The Angels, Ballet Music - BBC Concert Orchestra, Martin Yates - Dutton Epoch 2008

This was supposed to be a birthday post (Arnell was born yesterday, September 15th, 1917) however I simply could not summon the energy to get to the computer last night. So, a 24-hour belated birthday tribute will have to suffice; I doubt Arnell would have minded, and I'm most certain that those of you reading this-whether you have discovered Richard Arnell's magnificent music on my blog or elsewhere-shall not quibble ;)

These wonderful ballet scores needless to say will undoubtedly only further the appreciation of Arnell's rich orchestral palette and ability to compose exciting sure-fire music. I have never heard an Richard Arnell work with anything in excess-ne'er a 'note too many' I'd say! If anything the listener is always left wanting for more.


The first time I heard "The Great Detective" I was immediately taken with it's exuberance, as well as it's Prokofiev-esque feeling. I would love to see the music staged, although clearly the music speaks colorfully and cogently on it's own. It's fantastic music, as is the substantial and highly symphonic "The Angels" ballet score, which Arnell wrote four years after The Great Detective. 



I don't have time for a synopsis of either work at this time so here's a Gramophone review for now:

Dutton’s enterprising exploration of the works of Richard Arnell here moves from the symphonies and Piano Concerto to the ballet scores, which through recordings were for some 50 years the most readily available representation of the composer. Beecham championed Arnell’s music and recorded a suite from Punch and the Child, while the composer himself set down excerpts from both works here during the 1950s. These are, though, the first CD recordings and the first complete recordings of both.

The two scores differ significantly in style. The Great Detective – based loosely on Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes – is what one might expect of a ballet score of the 1950s, developing the action through lively orchestral transition passages that frame more lyrical set dances. A visual record would help; but even without it one can sense something of the action. The Angels is very much different, an altogether more powerful score, essentially structured as a three-movement symphony – the first movement a Theme and Variations, the second a beautiful Roundelay, the third a Vivace and final Transformation. It’s a sumptuous, uplifting score that transcends the ballet format and more meaningfully represents part of Arnell’s symphonic output. That those present in the recording control room during the sessions dubbed it Arnell’s “Symphony No 5-and-a-half” only begins to do it justice.

Martin Yates directs full-blooded, compelling performances that follow the composer’s own timings closely without ever suggesting slavish imitation. Arnell well deserves attention, alongside Alwyn and Arnold in Britain’s composing A-team.

Enjoy everyone!

Richard_Arnell-The_Great_Detective-Tzadik.zip

http://www71.zippyshare.com/v/iOiFKMOf/file.html

12 comments:

riemer46 said...

Fantastic, thanks so much....I think this completes my Arnell collection.

cjvinthechair said...

Ah, Mr. T. - not sure whether like 'Mark' i can claim this completes Arnell for me...sure I'm minus several symphonies at least; but it does add to the 'Harlequin in April' & 'Punch & the Child' ballet suites I've enjoyed of his. Punch is on now - yes, marvellously exuberant music !
Thanks for continuing to do the two things for which I bless the 'Web' - introducing composers most of us would never get a chance to hear, and filling many gaps in what we thought we did know something of !
Well worth all the pop-up ads, screens of death & assorted viruses that come with net usage !

AT said...

Many thanks and regards from The Netherlands.
Veel dank en groeten uit Nederland.

Unknown said...

Super extraños opus,mi hija se llama Mariangeles,se lo dedicaré a ella,por la radio,gracias querido Tzadik,por estas gemas inahallables en mi triste y lejano país.Gracias.Tapirman.Un abrazo cetáceo.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting this.

I have a request: Could you post something with Holst's Brook Green Suite?

Thank you.

Tzadik said...

Hi Mark, you are welcome! -Do you have the String Quartets? I have been meaning to post them and will
do so soon..

TZ

Tzadik said...

Cjv, Arnell is one of the finest discoveries a music lover can make in my opinion-I'm happy you have 'caught the bug' :) Well, I have all of Arnell's recorded music however I have not posted it all yet on here.
I will do so.

-You mentioned pop ups and the other assorted annoyances; PLEASE tell me you don't encounter ANY whilst visiting my blog? I have set up the blog to be 100% free of such garbage/potentially malicious pages.
I'm not happy being poor but I will not and have not tried to make any $$ here. Just sharing what I love the most in this world!

Kind regards,

TZ

Tzadik said...

You are welcome as always maestro Toon. -Which Arnell work or works have you enjoyed the most thus far?

TZ

Tzadik said...

Saludos queridos Marcello, maestro de la medicina y amante de la ballena canciones me alegra que siga ebjoy los mensajes Arnell! Así que el nombre de su hija significa "Ángel de María"? ¡Qué hermosa es. Espero que ella ha aprendido a amar el gran arte y la música (y tu compasión especial!) De usted; Estoy seguro de que usted es el mejor padre del mundo (bueno tal vez pueda compartir su "premio" -Yo también tengo una hija, llamada Zoe, que significa "vida" en griego :)

Tu amigo a través de la música y el tiempo eterno,

TZ

Unknown said...

Larga vida a tu familia,a tu hija,Zoe,querido Tzadik,y por cierto,ella,mi hija,quiere más los animales que este veterinario poeta,en cuanto la Musik,la he llevado de muy bebe a conciertos sinfónicos con opus de Mozart,Lutoslawaski y otros,no la obligo,ella decidirá que continuar en sus estudios,aun es niña.Un abrazo,amigo sincero y noble!! Doktor Tapirman Lasta.

Tzadik said...

Querido doctor T, gracias por las amables palabras-que deseo todo lo mejor a su familia también. Lo más doloroso para mí, de hecho, hace que mis depresiones mucho peor, es que veo a mi hija sólo cada dos fines de semana, y en algunas fiestas, y para las visitas de verano (2 semanas). Ella va a ser 11 años el próximo mes, y la veo crecer demasiado rápido, especialmente en lo que yo no veo lo suficiente; los cambios (personalidad, física, emocional, etc.) son así "magnificadas" en cierto sentido, lo que me pone triste ... estos son años especiales. Su madre hace que sea muy difícil para mí ver ella en todo, ella se ha convertido en una criatura venenosa :( tengo historias que vosotros no creeríais ... es un milagro que mi hermosa hija es sobre todo bien ajustado.

Entonces, ¿tu hija quiere seguir "sus pasos" y convertirse en un veterinario?
Se suena como ella lo hace, con un verdadero amor y el aprecio de los animales de este tipo. Además, hace que disfrutar de la música "clásica"? Yo no estaba seguro de si estaba diciendo que .. Mi hija no se ha calentado aún no clásica, sin embargo, ella tiene bastante buen gusto musical, y por lo general no le gusta en la radio de la música "pop" ... el tipo de "fluff" que se jugado una y otra y otra vez ... sonidos baratas hechas casi exclusivamente para $$$ ..

Con una sinfónica amistad,

TZ

oscarjaffe said...

Could you possibly repload this recording? Thank you!