Symphony No. 5 (Arnold)
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The Symphony No. 5, Op. 74 by Malcolm Arnold was finished in 1961. It is in four movements:
I. Tempestuoso
II. Andante con moto – Adagio
III. Con fuoco
IV. Risoluto – Lento
The work was commissioned by the Cheltenham Festival Society. The composer conducted the first performance with the Hallé Orchestra on 3 July 1961 at the Cheltenham Music Festival in Cheltenham Town Hall.
The Symphony is a remembrance of four of Arnold's friends who died too young:
- Humorist Gerard Hoffnung
- Clarinettist Frederick Thurston
- Ballet choreographer David Paltenghi
- Horn player Dennis Brain
Commercial recordings
- 1973 Malcolm Arnold and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on EMI Classics HMV ASD 2878 (LP) (latest re-release on EMI 382 1462)
- 1995 Richard Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra on Chandos Records CHAN 9385
- 1996 Vernon Handley and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Conifer Records 75605-51257-2 (re-released on Decca 4765337)
- 2000 Douglas Bostock and the Munich Symphony Orchestra on Classico 294
- 2001 Andrew Penny and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra on Naxos Records 8.552000 (recorded January 24-25, 2000, in the presence of the composer)
References
- Chester-Novello page on the Symphony Contains programme notes by the composer.