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Malcolm’s Brass Music with Foden’s Band

The Malcolm Arnold Society is pleased to announce a collaboration between Foden’s Band and ourselves. The partnership will not only produce a CD with several tracks previously unrecorded for brass but also open up a new repertoire of Arnold music for the brass band community to enjoy and play

The Foden band were formed in 1902 by Edwin Foden, originally named ‘The Foden’s Motorworks Band.’ From these humble beginnings, few would have thought they would go on to win 12 British Open titles, 16 National Championships of Great Britain and an unparalleled double hat-trick in 1932, 33, 34 and 1936, 37 and 38. The band currently holds the record for the number of Area Contest wins with an unprecedented 24 North West Area titles. Since 1902 they have maintained their positions as one of the World’s leading bands on and off the contest stage. In 2012 Foden’s won the ‘Double’, being crowned the 2012 British Open / National Champions, and in 2018, 2021 and 2022, they were once again crowned the National Champions. As well as being successful on the contest front, the band have won numerous awards for cd releases, regularly appears on BBC TV and Radio and performs at all the countries’ leading concert halls. Around the world, Foden’s Band is a trademark that musicians associate with inestimable class and musicianship.

The disc will also feature the CD premiere of “Song of Freedom”, a piece for brass band and Soprano/Alto chorus for which we will be joined by the wonderful Chetham’s School of Music choir.

The cd will contain several pieces that have never been recorded for CD before!

  • Fantasy for Brass Band Op 114
  • Little Suite No 1 Op 80
  • Little Suite No 2 Op 93
  • Song of Freedom Op 109 – CD Premiere
  • Fanfare for a Festival (1955) (arr. for brass band by Philip Sparke)
  • March: Overseas Op.70 (1960) [arr. Neil Richmond, 2008] – CD Premiere
  • The Roots of Heaven (1958): Overture (arr. for brass band by Neil Richmond) – CD Premiere
  • Sweeney Todd (arr. Philip Littlemore) – CD Premiere
  • Peterloo Overture (arr. Andrew Duncan)

TOTAL 73 minutes

The CD will retail at £14.95 plus p & p. It will be possible to pre-order the CD from May 2024 onwards. In the meantime if you would like to make a donation to the project please contact Ken Talbot ken@malcolmarnoldsociety.co.uk or donate here