8.570294 5

near Bristol in August 1943 by his friends in the LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra. Three traditional songs: ‘Whatshall we do with the drunken sailor?’, ‘Boney was awarrior’ and ‘Johnny come down to Hilo’ receiveArnold’s wonderfully inventive treatment. He paradesthem roguishly in any manner of adroit disguises. Thereis that rich, skilful blending of sound which is sodistinctly his, stemming from that exceptionalunderstanding of the instruments and his friends playing

them. It is a work of wit and sophistication, full of fun,light of touch, always hurrying on to the next witticism,labouring no point, however clever.

© Paul Harris 2007

Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius by Anthony Meredithand Paul Harris is published by Thames/Elkin

Sir Malcolm

ARNOLDWind Chamber Music

Wind Quintet • Three Shanties • Suite BourgeoiseEast Winds

8.5702946

East Winds

East Winds unites the talents of five musicians of the highest quality, who combine dynamic and expressive musicmaking with maturity of interpretation and a broad wealth of experience in performance. They all enjoy a busyconcert schedule alongside their personal commitments to high-level education work.

Judith Treggor, fluteJoseph Sanders, oboe Victoria Soames Samek, clarinet Jonathan Hassan, horn Lizbeth Elliott, bassoonWith pianist Paul Chilvers

Guest wind players for octetsVeda Lin, second oboeAllison Rosser, second clarinetDuncan Fuller, second hornLauren Barr, second bassoon

570294bk Arnold US 22/2/07 3:59 pm Page 5

8.5702944

The Arnold shoe factory was in fact based, as wereso many others, in Northampton, where the exuberantGrand Fantasia, composed in the summer of 1940, wasfirst performed, a piece of unashamed escapism at thetime of the Battle of Britain. The three instruments arehandled with panache as Arnold takes the listener on aEuropean tour with stops in Italy, Hungary and Austria.The Fantasia however, is not purely geographical, for inthis gloriously catholic work he manages to salute theidioms of opera, musical comedy and jazz. It is a helter-skelter affair, full of the joys of a youthful artist whoknows he is at ease with his medium. It is no surprise tofind the manuscript telling us that it was not composedby Arnold at all, but by ‘A. Youngman’.

The Overture for Wind Octet, written earlier in1940, was probably intended as the first movement of alarger work. Alas, Arnold was sidetracked into otherprojects – only this one tantalising movement remains.Three influences are clear: ragtime rhythms, his hatredof war (in the aggressive chords and heavily accentedmelodic lines of the middle section) and, once again, themusic of Lambert. “There is no man in this world whomI admire more”, Arnold once said of his mentor.

Another war-time work is the charming andinsouciant Suite Bourgeoise, a five-movement workbeginning with a serious contrapuntal prelude and thenfollowed by a tango, a hard-rock number originally –and rather scurrilously – entitled ‘Whorehouse’, themost amorous of ballads that would happily accompanyany 1940’s silver-screen romance, and a jazz-waltz. It istruly a musical treasure.

The Scherzetto for clarinet and piano began life aspart of the score to Arnold’s 1954 film You Know WhatSailors Are, a comedy involving a fake secret weaponand featuring Donald Sinden and Michael Hordern.Arnold would always invite his friends to play for himin his film sessions and there is an extended scene for

which he wrote this bubbling showpiece for the greatclarinettist Jack Thurston. The Fantasy forunaccompanied clarinet was composed as a test piecefor the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’sInternational Wind Competition in 1966. Arnold’sinstinctive understanding of the instrument is clear as heexplores both the lyrical and robust sides of theclarinet’s character.

The miniature Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet wascomposed in the early 1960s as a present for hischildren, Katherine and Robert, to play together. Even asa miniature, it has many of the hallmarks of the Arnoldstyle: the evocative melodic writing, together with theoccasional dark dissonance. It was written during hismost prolific period in films; two years earlier he wonhis Oscar for The Bridge on the River Kwai. Indeed thegorgeous title music to the contemporary Whistle DownThe Wind (famously whistled by Richard Attenborough)bears a distinct family resemblance.

The Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, likeso much of Arnold’s music, was written for particularfriends. Richard Adeney, Sidney Sutcliffe and StephenWaters gave the work its first performance in 1952 at atime when Arnold was at the height of his powers. 1952also saw the composition of an opera, the OboeConcerto, numerous smaller works and, among elevenfilms, his acclaimed score for The Sound Barrier, hisfirst David Lean film. The six concise movements of theDivertimento are by turns humorous, lyrical, boisterous,nostalgic and tongue-in-cheek, quintessential Arnold.The famous music critic, Felix Aprahamian, was openlychuckling out loud at each new musical joke at an earlyperformance.

Perhaps Arnold’s most popular work for windinstruments is the Three Shanties for wind quintet.Completed late in 1942, just months after the Quintet,Op. 2, they were first performed in an aircraft hangar

8.570294 2

Wind Quintet, Op. 2 12:011 Allegro 4:352 Presto 2:403 Alla Marcia 4:47

4 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: I – Allegro energico 1:40

5 Dream City (arr. for wind quintet by Paul Harris) 2:58

6 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: II – Allegretto 0:48

7 Hobson’s Choice: Overture (arr. for wind octet by Uwe Radok) 3:30

8 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: III – Vivace 0:53

9 Grand Fantasia 10:03

0 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: IV – Lento 1:51

! Overture (1940) (arr. for wind octet by Uwe Radok) 3:22

@ Duo for Two Clarinets, Op.135, Divertimento: V – Vivace 1:19

Suite Bourgeoise for Flute, Clarinet and Piano 12:05# I – Prelude 2:29$ II – Tango (Elaine) 3:14% III – Dance (censored) 2:10^ IV – Ballad 1:55& V – Valse (Ugo) 2:17

* Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: VI – Adagio 1:33

( Scherzetto from You Know What Sailors Are (arr. for clarinet and piano) 2:44

) Fantasy for Clarinet, Op. 87 4:05

¡ Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet 1:30

Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, Op. 37 9:05™ I – Allegro energico 1:24£ II – Languido 2:28¢ III – Vivace 0:44∞ IV – Andantino 1:42§ V – Maestoso 1:25¶ VI – Piacevole 1:21

Three Shanties for Wind Quintet, Op. 4 6:57• I – Allegro con brio 2:28ª II – Allegretto semplice 1:43º III – Allegro vivace 2:46

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)Wind Chamber Music

8.5702943

Those who think of Malcolm Arnold as the composer ofsparkling orchestral music and highly successful filmscores will be delighted and perhaps surprised at thefeast of smaller-scale treasures on this disc, many ofthem recorded here for the first time. They span virtuallyhis entire composing life from the early ConstantLambert-inspired Overture for Wind Octet to theenigmatic Divertimento for Two Clarinets written afterserious mental illness and a number of years ofcompositional silence.

The Wind Quintet, Op. 2, was written in 1942, just afew months before the ever-popular Three Shanties, forhis friends in the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Aftera couple of performances it disappeared for over sixtyyears. It was re-discovered after the death of clarinettistStephen Waters, who played in the first performance andthen took the score and parts home for safe-keeping.There they remained until unearthed, at the bottom of abox of his music, just a couple of years ago, after hisdeath in 1999. The tuneful first movement is full ofthose little surprises “to keep my audiences awake”, thecomposer once said. There is no shortage of jazz-inspired ideas, coloured always by that unmistakeableArnold wit. The second movement is a fiendish scherzo,full of elaborate cross-rhythms and of immense energy.The final movement is a March and the mostemotionally charged of the three. Clearly very stronglyanti-war (other examples of Arnold’s political viewsoccur in the First Symphony and Piano Sonata) it offerssevere and angry dissonances, mocking fanfares, withangular and brutal melodic and rhythmic figures. It issurely a work that will soon take its place as a classic inthe wind quintet repertoire.

The arcane Divertimento for Two Clarinets, which

forms a series of interludes on this disc, was composedin 1988 soon after the dark and introspective MahlerianNinth Symphony. It bears many resemblances. Thoughboth the Arnold wit and lyricism lurk, the work is lacedwith moments of strange, other-worldly writing. DreamCity was composed on 24th December 1938, originallyfor piano and, like many of his early piano pieces, as apresent for his piano-playing mother, Annie. Theseventeen-year-old had just finished his first term as ascholar at the Royal College of Music. He fell, virtuallystraight away, under the spell of one of his teachers, thecomposer Constant Lambert, a larger-than-life characterwho was to become a great influence. Lambert’s ownfusion of jazz and ‘light’ music into his own style muchappealed to the young student and can be heard clearlyhere. This arrangement, for wind quintet, was sanctionedby the composer, who was delighted by the extra colourbrought to his delightful miniature.

Arnold’s instinct for musical colour, in addition tohis ability to write wonderful tunes and a capacity forhard work, are all part responsible for his major successas a film music composer. 1953 saw him at the height ofhis film career. No less than seven film scores, inaddition to his Second Symphony and Coronation balletHomage to the Queen, appeared that year. Among themwas Hobson’s Choice, starring Charles Laughton andJohn Mills and directed by David Lean. It was tobecome Arnold’s favourite score. The Overture,arranged here for wind octet, allows Arnold to indulge inmusic ranging from low comedy to high romance. Theprincipal character, played by Laughton, is a shoemanufacturer – just as Arnold’s father was – anotherreason why the composer had a special place for thisscore.

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)Wind Chamber Music

570294bk Arnold US 22/2/07 3:59 pm Page 2

8.5702944

The Arnold shoe factory was in fact based, as wereso many others, in Northampton, where the exuberantGrand Fantasia, composed in the summer of 1940, wasfirst performed, a piece of unashamed escapism at thetime of the Battle of Britain. The three instruments arehandled with panache as Arnold takes the listener on aEuropean tour with stops in Italy, Hungary and Austria.The Fantasia however, is not purely geographical, for inthis gloriously catholic work he manages to salute theidioms of opera, musical comedy and jazz. It is a helter-skelter affair, full of the joys of a youthful artist whoknows he is at ease with his medium. It is no surprise tofind the manuscript telling us that it was not composedby Arnold at all, but by ‘A. Youngman’.

The Overture for Wind Octet, written earlier in1940, was probably intended as the first movement of alarger work. Alas, Arnold was sidetracked into otherprojects – only this one tantalising movement remains.Three influences are clear: ragtime rhythms, his hatredof war (in the aggressive chords and heavily accentedmelodic lines of the middle section) and, once again, themusic of Lambert. “There is no man in this world whomI admire more”, Arnold once said of his mentor.

Another war-time work is the charming andinsouciant Suite Bourgeoise, a five-movement workbeginning with a serious contrapuntal prelude and thenfollowed by a tango, a hard-rock number originally –and rather scurrilously – entitled ‘Whorehouse’, themost amorous of ballads that would happily accompanyany 1940’s silver-screen romance, and a jazz-waltz. It istruly a musical treasure.

The Scherzetto for clarinet and piano began life aspart of the score to Arnold’s 1954 film You Know WhatSailors Are, a comedy involving a fake secret weaponand featuring Donald Sinden and Michael Hordern.Arnold would always invite his friends to play for himin his film sessions and there is an extended scene for

which he wrote this bubbling showpiece for the greatclarinettist Jack Thurston. The Fantasy forunaccompanied clarinet was composed as a test piecefor the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’sInternational Wind Competition in 1966. Arnold’sinstinctive understanding of the instrument is clear as heexplores both the lyrical and robust sides of theclarinet’s character.

The miniature Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet wascomposed in the early 1960s as a present for hischildren, Katherine and Robert, to play together. Even asa miniature, it has many of the hallmarks of the Arnoldstyle: the evocative melodic writing, together with theoccasional dark dissonance. It was written during hismost prolific period in films; two years earlier he wonhis Oscar for The Bridge on the River Kwai. Indeed thegorgeous title music to the contemporary Whistle DownThe Wind (famously whistled by Richard Attenborough)bears a distinct family resemblance.

The Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, likeso much of Arnold’s music, was written for particularfriends. Richard Adeney, Sidney Sutcliffe and StephenWaters gave the work its first performance in 1952 at atime when Arnold was at the height of his powers. 1952also saw the composition of an opera, the OboeConcerto, numerous smaller works and, among elevenfilms, his acclaimed score for The Sound Barrier, hisfirst David Lean film. The six concise movements of theDivertimento are by turns humorous, lyrical, boisterous,nostalgic and tongue-in-cheek, quintessential Arnold.The famous music critic, Felix Aprahamian, was openlychuckling out loud at each new musical joke at an earlyperformance.

Perhaps Arnold’s most popular work for windinstruments is the Three Shanties for wind quintet.Completed late in 1942, just months after the Quintet,Op. 2, they were first performed in an aircraft hangar

8.570294 2

Wind Quintet, Op. 2 12:011 Allegro 4:352 Presto 2:403 Alla Marcia 4:47

4 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: I – Allegro energico 1:40

5 Dream City (arr. for wind quintet by Paul Harris) 2:58

6 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: II – Allegretto 0:48

7 Hobson’s Choice: Overture (arr. for wind octet by Uwe Radok) 3:30

8 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: III – Vivace 0:53

9 Grand Fantasia 10:03

0 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: IV – Lento 1:51

! Overture (1940) (arr. for wind octet by Uwe Radok) 3:22

@ Duo for Two Clarinets, Op.135, Divertimento: V – Vivace 1:19

Suite Bourgeoise for Flute, Clarinet and Piano 12:05# I – Prelude 2:29$ II – Tango (Elaine) 3:14% III – Dance (censored) 2:10^ IV – Ballad 1:55& V – Valse (Ugo) 2:17

* Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: VI – Adagio 1:33

( Scherzetto from You Know What Sailors Are (arr. for clarinet and piano) 2:44

) Fantasy for Clarinet, Op. 87 4:05

¡ Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet 1:30

Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, Op. 37 9:05™ I – Allegro energico 1:24£ II – Languido 2:28¢ III – Vivace 0:44∞ IV – Andantino 1:42§ V – Maestoso 1:25¶ VI – Piacevole 1:21

Three Shanties for Wind Quintet, Op. 4 6:57• I – Allegro con brio 2:28ª II – Allegretto semplice 1:43º III – Allegro vivace 2:46

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)Wind Chamber Music

8.5702943

Those who think of Malcolm Arnold as the composer ofsparkling orchestral music and highly successful filmscores will be delighted and perhaps surprised at thefeast of smaller-scale treasures on this disc, many ofthem recorded here for the first time. They span virtuallyhis entire composing life from the early ConstantLambert-inspired Overture for Wind Octet to theenigmatic Divertimento for Two Clarinets written afterserious mental illness and a number of years ofcompositional silence.

The Wind Quintet, Op. 2, was written in 1942, just afew months before the ever-popular Three Shanties, forhis friends in the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Aftera couple of performances it disappeared for over sixtyyears. It was re-discovered after the death of clarinettistStephen Waters, who played in the first performance andthen took the score and parts home for safe-keeping.There they remained until unearthed, at the bottom of abox of his music, just a couple of years ago, after hisdeath in 1999. The tuneful first movement is full ofthose little surprises “to keep my audiences awake”, thecomposer once said. There is no shortage of jazz-inspired ideas, coloured always by that unmistakeableArnold wit. The second movement is a fiendish scherzo,full of elaborate cross-rhythms and of immense energy.The final movement is a March and the mostemotionally charged of the three. Clearly very stronglyanti-war (other examples of Arnold’s political viewsoccur in the First Symphony and Piano Sonata) it offerssevere and angry dissonances, mocking fanfares, withangular and brutal melodic and rhythmic figures. It issurely a work that will soon take its place as a classic inthe wind quintet repertoire.

The arcane Divertimento for Two Clarinets, which

forms a series of interludes on this disc, was composedin 1988 soon after the dark and introspective MahlerianNinth Symphony. It bears many resemblances. Thoughboth the Arnold wit and lyricism lurk, the work is lacedwith moments of strange, other-worldly writing. DreamCity was composed on 24th December 1938, originallyfor piano and, like many of his early piano pieces, as apresent for his piano-playing mother, Annie. Theseventeen-year-old had just finished his first term as ascholar at the Royal College of Music. He fell, virtuallystraight away, under the spell of one of his teachers, thecomposer Constant Lambert, a larger-than-life characterwho was to become a great influence. Lambert’s ownfusion of jazz and ‘light’ music into his own style muchappealed to the young student and can be heard clearlyhere. This arrangement, for wind quintet, was sanctionedby the composer, who was delighted by the extra colourbrought to his delightful miniature.

Arnold’s instinct for musical colour, in addition tohis ability to write wonderful tunes and a capacity forhard work, are all part responsible for his major successas a film music composer. 1953 saw him at the height ofhis film career. No less than seven film scores, inaddition to his Second Symphony and Coronation balletHomage to the Queen, appeared that year. Among themwas Hobson’s Choice, starring Charles Laughton andJohn Mills and directed by David Lean. It was tobecome Arnold’s favourite score. The Overture,arranged here for wind octet, allows Arnold to indulge inmusic ranging from low comedy to high romance. Theprincipal character, played by Laughton, is a shoemanufacturer – just as Arnold’s father was – anotherreason why the composer had a special place for thisscore.

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)Wind Chamber Music

570294bk Arnold US 22/2/07 3:59 pm Page 2

8.5702944

The Arnold shoe factory was in fact based, as wereso many others, in Northampton, where the exuberantGrand Fantasia, composed in the summer of 1940, wasfirst performed, a piece of unashamed escapism at thetime of the Battle of Britain. The three instruments arehandled with panache as Arnold takes the listener on aEuropean tour with stops in Italy, Hungary and Austria.The Fantasia however, is not purely geographical, for inthis gloriously catholic work he manages to salute theidioms of opera, musical comedy and jazz. It is a helter-skelter affair, full of the joys of a youthful artist whoknows he is at ease with his medium. It is no surprise tofind the manuscript telling us that it was not composedby Arnold at all, but by ‘A. Youngman’.

The Overture for Wind Octet, written earlier in1940, was probably intended as the first movement of alarger work. Alas, Arnold was sidetracked into otherprojects – only this one tantalising movement remains.Three influences are clear: ragtime rhythms, his hatredof war (in the aggressive chords and heavily accentedmelodic lines of the middle section) and, once again, themusic of Lambert. “There is no man in this world whomI admire more”, Arnold once said of his mentor.

Another war-time work is the charming andinsouciant Suite Bourgeoise, a five-movement workbeginning with a serious contrapuntal prelude and thenfollowed by a tango, a hard-rock number originally –and rather scurrilously – entitled ‘Whorehouse’, themost amorous of ballads that would happily accompanyany 1940’s silver-screen romance, and a jazz-waltz. It istruly a musical treasure.

The Scherzetto for clarinet and piano began life aspart of the score to Arnold’s 1954 film You Know WhatSailors Are, a comedy involving a fake secret weaponand featuring Donald Sinden and Michael Hordern.Arnold would always invite his friends to play for himin his film sessions and there is an extended scene for

which he wrote this bubbling showpiece for the greatclarinettist Jack Thurston. The Fantasy forunaccompanied clarinet was composed as a test piecefor the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’sInternational Wind Competition in 1966. Arnold’sinstinctive understanding of the instrument is clear as heexplores both the lyrical and robust sides of theclarinet’s character.

The miniature Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet wascomposed in the early 1960s as a present for hischildren, Katherine and Robert, to play together. Even asa miniature, it has many of the hallmarks of the Arnoldstyle: the evocative melodic writing, together with theoccasional dark dissonance. It was written during hismost prolific period in films; two years earlier he wonhis Oscar for The Bridge on the River Kwai. Indeed thegorgeous title music to the contemporary Whistle DownThe Wind (famously whistled by Richard Attenborough)bears a distinct family resemblance.

The Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, likeso much of Arnold’s music, was written for particularfriends. Richard Adeney, Sidney Sutcliffe and StephenWaters gave the work its first performance in 1952 at atime when Arnold was at the height of his powers. 1952also saw the composition of an opera, the OboeConcerto, numerous smaller works and, among elevenfilms, his acclaimed score for The Sound Barrier, hisfirst David Lean film. The six concise movements of theDivertimento are by turns humorous, lyrical, boisterous,nostalgic and tongue-in-cheek, quintessential Arnold.The famous music critic, Felix Aprahamian, was openlychuckling out loud at each new musical joke at an earlyperformance.

Perhaps Arnold’s most popular work for windinstruments is the Three Shanties for wind quintet.Completed late in 1942, just months after the Quintet,Op. 2, they were first performed in an aircraft hangar

8.570294 2

Wind Quintet, Op. 2 12:011 Allegro 4:352 Presto 2:403 Alla Marcia 4:47

4 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: I – Allegro energico 1:40

5 Dream City (arr. for wind quintet by Paul Harris) 2:58

6 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: II – Allegretto 0:48

7 Hobson’s Choice: Overture (arr. for wind octet by Uwe Radok) 3:30

8 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: III – Vivace 0:53

9 Grand Fantasia 10:03

0 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: IV – Lento 1:51

! Overture (1940) (arr. for wind octet by Uwe Radok) 3:22

@ Duo for Two Clarinets, Op.135, Divertimento: V – Vivace 1:19

Suite Bourgeoise for Flute, Clarinet and Piano 12:05# I – Prelude 2:29$ II – Tango (Elaine) 3:14% III – Dance (censored) 2:10^ IV – Ballad 1:55& V – Valse (Ugo) 2:17

* Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento: VI – Adagio 1:33

( Scherzetto from You Know What Sailors Are (arr. for clarinet and piano) 2:44

) Fantasy for Clarinet, Op. 87 4:05

¡ Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet 1:30

Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, Op. 37 9:05™ I – Allegro energico 1:24£ II – Languido 2:28¢ III – Vivace 0:44∞ IV – Andantino 1:42§ V – Maestoso 1:25¶ VI – Piacevole 1:21

Three Shanties for Wind Quintet, Op. 4 6:57• I – Allegro con brio 2:28ª II – Allegretto semplice 1:43º III – Allegro vivace 2:46

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)Wind Chamber Music

8.5702943

Those who think of Malcolm Arnold as the composer ofsparkling orchestral music and highly successful filmscores will be delighted and perhaps surprised at thefeast of smaller-scale treasures on this disc, many ofthem recorded here for the first time. They span virtuallyhis entire composing life from the early ConstantLambert-inspired Overture for Wind Octet to theenigmatic Divertimento for Two Clarinets written afterserious mental illness and a number of years ofcompositional silence.

The Wind Quintet, Op. 2, was written in 1942, just afew months before the ever-popular Three Shanties, forhis friends in the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Aftera couple of performances it disappeared for over sixtyyears. It was re-discovered after the death of clarinettistStephen Waters, who played in the first performance andthen took the score and parts home for safe-keeping.There they remained until unearthed, at the bottom of abox of his music, just a couple of years ago, after hisdeath in 1999. The tuneful first movement is full ofthose little surprises “to keep my audiences awake”, thecomposer once said. There is no shortage of jazz-inspired ideas, coloured always by that unmistakeableArnold wit. The second movement is a fiendish scherzo,full of elaborate cross-rhythms and of immense energy.The final movement is a March and the mostemotionally charged of the three. Clearly very stronglyanti-war (other examples of Arnold’s political viewsoccur in the First Symphony and Piano Sonata) it offerssevere and angry dissonances, mocking fanfares, withangular and brutal melodic and rhythmic figures. It issurely a work that will soon take its place as a classic inthe wind quintet repertoire.

The arcane Divertimento for Two Clarinets, which

forms a series of interludes on this disc, was composedin 1988 soon after the dark and introspective MahlerianNinth Symphony. It bears many resemblances. Thoughboth the Arnold wit and lyricism lurk, the work is lacedwith moments of strange, other-worldly writing. DreamCity was composed on 24th December 1938, originallyfor piano and, like many of his early piano pieces, as apresent for his piano-playing mother, Annie. Theseventeen-year-old had just finished his first term as ascholar at the Royal College of Music. He fell, virtuallystraight away, under the spell of one of his teachers, thecomposer Constant Lambert, a larger-than-life characterwho was to become a great influence. Lambert’s ownfusion of jazz and ‘light’ music into his own style muchappealed to the young student and can be heard clearlyhere. This arrangement, for wind quintet, was sanctionedby the composer, who was delighted by the extra colourbrought to his delightful miniature.

Arnold’s instinct for musical colour, in addition tohis ability to write wonderful tunes and a capacity forhard work, are all part responsible for his major successas a film music composer. 1953 saw him at the height ofhis film career. No less than seven film scores, inaddition to his Second Symphony and Coronation balletHomage to the Queen, appeared that year. Among themwas Hobson’s Choice, starring Charles Laughton andJohn Mills and directed by David Lean. It was tobecome Arnold’s favourite score. The Overture,arranged here for wind octet, allows Arnold to indulge inmusic ranging from low comedy to high romance. Theprincipal character, played by Laughton, is a shoemanufacturer – just as Arnold’s father was – anotherreason why the composer had a special place for thisscore.

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)Wind Chamber Music

570294bk Arnold US 22/2/07 3:59 pm Page 2

8.570294 5

near Bristol in August 1943 by his friends in the LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra. Three traditional songs: ‘Whatshall we do with the drunken sailor?’, ‘Boney was awarrior’ and ‘Johnny come down to Hilo’ receiveArnold’s wonderfully inventive treatment. He paradesthem roguishly in any manner of adroit disguises. Thereis that rich, skilful blending of sound which is sodistinctly his, stemming from that exceptionalunderstanding of the instruments and his friends playing

them. It is a work of wit and sophistication, full of fun,light of touch, always hurrying on to the next witticism,labouring no point, however clever.

© Paul Harris 2007

Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius by Anthony Meredithand Paul Harris is published by Thames/Elkin

Sir Malcolm

ARNOLDWind Chamber Music

Wind Quintet • Three Shanties • Suite BourgeoiseEast Winds

8.5702946

East Winds

East Winds unites the talents of five musicians of the highest quality, who combine dynamic and expressive musicmaking with maturity of interpretation and a broad wealth of experience in performance. They all enjoy a busyconcert schedule alongside their personal commitments to high-level education work.

Judith Treggor, fluteJoseph Sanders, oboe Victoria Soames Samek, clarinet Jonathan Hassan, horn Lizbeth Elliott, bassoonWith pianist Paul Chilvers

Guest wind players for octetsVeda Lin, second oboeAllison Rosser, second clarinetDuncan Fuller, second hornLauren Barr, second bassoon

570294bk Arnold US 22/2/07 3:59 pm Page 5

8.570294 5

near Bristol in August 1943 by his friends in the LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra. Three traditional songs: ‘Whatshall we do with the drunken sailor?’, ‘Boney was awarrior’ and ‘Johnny come down to Hilo’ receiveArnold’s wonderfully inventive treatment. He paradesthem roguishly in any manner of adroit disguises. Thereis that rich, skilful blending of sound which is sodistinctly his, stemming from that exceptionalunderstanding of the instruments and his friends playing

them. It is a work of wit and sophistication, full of fun,light of touch, always hurrying on to the next witticism,labouring no point, however clever.

© Paul Harris 2007

Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius by Anthony Meredithand Paul Harris is published by Thames/Elkin

Sir Malcolm

ARNOLDWind Chamber Music

Wind Quintet • Three Shanties • Suite BourgeoiseEast Winds

8.5702946

East Winds

East Winds unites the talents of five musicians of the highest quality, who combine dynamic and expressive musicmaking with maturity of interpretation and a broad wealth of experience in performance. They all enjoy a busyconcert schedule alongside their personal commitments to high-level education work.

Judith Treggor, fluteJoseph Sanders, oboe Victoria Soames Samek, clarinet Jonathan Hassan, horn Lizbeth Elliott, bassoonWith pianist Paul Chilvers

Guest wind players for octetsVeda Lin, second oboeAllison Rosser, second clarinetDuncan Fuller, second hornLauren Barr, second bassoon

570294bk Arnold US 22/2/07 3:59 pm Page 5

CMYK

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Music

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NA

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8.570294

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Playing Time76:24

Those who think of Malcolm Arnold as the composer of sparkling orchestral music andhighly successful film scores will be delighted and perhaps surprised at the feast ofsmaller-scale treasures on this recording, several of them recorded here for the first time.They span virtually his entire composing life from the early Constant Lambert-inspiredOverture for Wind Octet to the enigmatic Duo (Divertimento) for Two Clarinets writtenafter serious mental illness and a number of years of compositional silence.

Sir Malcolm

ARNOLD(1921–2006)

Wind Chamber Music

East Winds* WORLD PREMIÈRE RECORDINGS

Recorded in Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, UK, from 22nd to 23rd June, 2006 Producer: Simon Weir • Engineer: Morgan Roberts • Booklet Notes: Paul Harris

Please see page 2 of the booklet for a detailed track listCover Picture: From a Cornish Window, 1928 by Christopher Wood (1901–1930)

(Private Collection / Bridgeman Art Library)

1-3 Wind Quintet, Op. 2 12:014 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, 1:40

Divertimento: I – Allegro energico5 Dream City * 2:586 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, 0:48

Divertimento: II – Allegretto7 Hobson’s Choice: Overture * 3:308 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, 0:53

Divertimento: III – Vivace9 Grand Fantasia * 10:030 Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, 1:51

Divertimento: IV – Lento

! Overture (1940) * 3:22@ Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135: 1:19

Divertimento: V – Vivace#-& Suite Bourgeoise 12:05* Duo for Two Clarinets, Op. 135, 1:33

Divertimento: VI – Adagio( Scherzetto from You Know 2:44

What Sailors Are) Fantasy for Clarinet, Op. 87 4:05¡ Fantasy for Flute and Clarinet *1:30™-¶ Divertimento, Op. 37 9:05•-º Three Shanties, Op. 4 6:57

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