Arnold fans the world over will descend on London’s South Bank in September 2004 when the venue hosts an Arnold Celebration, culminating in an all-Arnold concert given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vernon Handley on 24 September.
The festivities began on 20 September at 7.30pm with the premiere screening of a new 2¼ hour film by Tony Palmer entitled “Toward the Unknown Region, Malcolm Arnold - A Story of Survival.” Filmed with his family and friends in Norfolk, London, Cornwall and Ireland where he lived, this profoundly moving and illuminating portrait of Arnold includes extracts from his movies and many performances of his works including the famous clarinet concerto written for Benny Goodman and extracts from the nine symphonies. The film does not shirk the darker side of Arnold’s life - his frequent mental breakdowns, his alcoholism, his despair. It is a gripping, absorbing but ultimately inspiring story: the triumph of a man of indomitable will against all the odds. It will be introduced by Melvyn Bragg and was commissioned by Melvyn Bragg and The South Bank Show in a co-promotion with Isolde Films and RTE.
On 24 September there will be an Arnold Study Day running from 10am-4pm in the Chelsfield Room. It will include discussion with the biographers of a new book published by Thames, Anthony Meredith and Paul Harris. This fascinating publication uses material unavailable to previous biographers and will be compulsive reading. Entitled Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius, it will be published on the 24 September. Other Study Day highlights include Benjamin Frith discussing Arnold’s piano works and a chance to attend an hour of the LPO’s rehearsal.
The LPO concert, later that day, will include the Philharmonic Concerto (written for the LPO in 1976), the Clarinet Concerto No. 2 (originally written for Benny Goodman and here performed by the young prodigy Julian Bliss), and the Sixth Symphony.
On 27 September, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band present a concert containing many of Arnold’s brass band composition, including the Cornish, English and Scottish Dances and many other works. Elgar Howarth conducts.
For tickets please contact the LPO Box Office on 020 7840 4242, or the RFH box office 08700 60 60 10.