Malcolm Arnold Centenary

News, information and resources.

2021 marks the centenary of the birth of Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006). One of the towering figures of twentieth-century British music.

If you are planning to celebrate the centenary, we’d love to hear from you!

Selected upcoming events (please confirm with the venue before making any travel arrangements):

• 16th Malcolm Arnold Festival – (16-17 October 2021)
• Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra Budapest: Flute Concerto No 1 (23 Sept 2021)
• Malcolm Arnold Centenary Concert – (24 Sept 2021)
• Malcolm Arnold Centenary Chat with Andrew Penny (26 Sept 2021)
• Prime Brass Arnold Centenary Celebration – (2 Oct 2021)
• Whistle Down the Wind with Hayley Mills in conversation at NFT1– (3 Oct 2021)
• Sudbury Symphony Orchestra Workshop: Symphony 5 (3 Oct 2021)
• Westminster Wind Quintet: MA Centenary Recital (8 Oct 2021)
• Ealing Symphony Orchestra: Viola Concerto (9 Oct 2021)
• South-West German Chamber Orchestra Pforzheim: Sinfonietta 1 – (10 Oct 2021 7 pm)
• Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra: Symphony 5 (16 Oct 2021)
• Northampton Symphony Orchestra: Malcolm Arnold at 100 (23 Oct 2021)
• Stockport Youth Orchestra: Little Suite No 2 (31 Oct 2021)
• Kammerorcherster St. Lambertus: Organ Concerto (1 Nov 2021)
• Oulu Sinfonia: Sir Malcolm Arnold 100 (18 – 19 Nov 2021)
• Finchley Symphony Orchestra (20 Nov 2021)
• Hull Philharmonic Orchestra: Peterloo Overture (27 Nov 2021)
• Conservatoire de Rueil Malmaison: The Holly and the Ivy (9 Dec 2021)
• Norwich Philharmonic: Arnold Centenary Concert – Symphony 5 (11 Dec 2021)
• Aylesbury Symphony Orchestra: Symphony 6 (postponed to 7 May 2022)

New recordings:

• BBC Music Magazine April 2021 – Arnold Centenary Editon with CD of Symphonies 2 & 4
• Ben Goldscheider recording the Horn Fantasy
• A Centenary Celebration CD – Peter Fisher & Margaret Fingerhut
• John Gibbons to record Symphony No 9 and the premiere recording of A Grand Concerto Gastronomique
• Ben Goldscheider recording the 2nd Horn Concerto
• Centenary Edition – Sir Malcolm Arnold’s Complete Symphonies and Dances (6-disc boxed set) – re-release from Naxos

New books:

Selected other highlights:

• The Dancing Master – BBC Music Magazine Opera Award Winner
• Gramophone Magazine Sept 2021 – Malcolm Arnold at 100 by Richard Bratby
• Presto Music Podcast with Piers Burton-Page
• Classicalexburns – Composer of the Month (Aug 2021)
• Classical Gabfest – Richard Bratby on the music of Malcolm Arnold
• Philip Rupprecht on MalcolmArnold’s reception at the BBC in the late 40s/early 50
• Clever Conversation: An appreciation of Malcolm Arnold’s score to the Chalk Garden by David Huckvale
• Chichester Film Festival: Malcolm Arnold Centenary
• Malcolm Arnold Festival Extras
• Why did Malcolm Arnold write his Fourth Symphony in response to the Notting Hill Race Riots?
• A repeat of Discovering The Bridge on the River Kwai on BBC4/iPlayer
• Malcolm Arnold Essay Prize 2021
• The Dancing Master Opera Talk
• Sir Malcolm Arnold: Life, Reputation and Centenary
• More recordings and books are coming!

Selected previous events:

• Live Stream: St Paul’s Sinfonia: Sinfonietta 3 – (20-27 March 2021)
• Live Stream: Royal Academy Symphonic Brass: Brass Quintet No 1 – (23 April 2021 1 pm) (click on the link to re-watch)
• Live Stream: St Paul’s Sinfonia: Serenade for Small Orchestra – (23-30 April 2021) (click on the link to re-watch)
• St Paul’s Sinfonia: Larch Trees (21 May 2021 7.30 pm)
• Live Stream: Harrisburg Symphony: Sinfonietta 1 – (22 – 30 May 2021)
• City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra: Symphony No 5 – (9 June 2021 2 pm & 6:30 pm)
• St Paul’s Sinfonia: Flute Concerto No 2 – (18 June 2021 8 pm) (click on the link to re-watch)
• Stream: Irish Chamber Orchestra: Guitar Serenade with Sean Shibe – (21 June 2021 7:30 pm)
• London Song Festival – (2 July – 5 July 2021)
• Buxton International Festival 2021 – (8-25 July 2021) – Staging Malcolm Arnold’s Dancing Master
• BBC Philharmonic Orchestra: Sinfonietta 3 (16 & 19 July 2021)
• British Music Festival in Taiwan – (23 July – 7 Aug 2021)
• The Presteigne Festival – (26-31 Aug 2021) will be honouring Malcolm Arnold this year
• BBC Proms 2021 – (30 July – 11 Sept 2021) – Three prom concerts featuring Malcolm Arnold

Also, check the BBC Radio 3 listings!

Information on music publishers can be found here.