The eminent composer Sir Malcolm Arnold CBE has been honoured with the Incorporated Society of Musicians’ Distinguished Musician Award for 2004.
The ISM established its Distinguished Musician Award in 1976, as a means by which the profession could acknowledge the outstanding contribution of a colleague to British musical life. Previous recipients have been Sir Alexander Gibson, Sir William Walton, Sir Peter Pears, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir James Galway, Jacqueline du Pre, Janet Craxton, Sir Michael Tippett, Sir Reginald Goodall, Sir Charles Groves, Sir Simon Rattle, Norman Del Mar, Witold Lutoslawski, Julian Bream, Sir Colin Davis, George Malcolm, Christopher Hogwood, Sir David Willcocks, Dame Fanny Waterman, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sir Charles Mackerras and John McCabe.
At its meeting on 27 November last, the ISM’s Council voted unanimously to confer the Award for 2004 on Sir Malcolm, himself a lifelong member of the ISM.
Proposing Sir Malcolm for the Award, Kenneth Hÿtch, the ISM’s Eastern Regional Councillor, said:
‘In offering Sir Malcolm Arnold its Distinguished Musician Award for 2004, the ISM would be acknowledging the immense contribution of an increasingly recognised composer of great historical importance. His set of nine magnificent symphonies show the direct line of that genre back through Shostakovich, Mahler and Berlioz to Beethoven. There are now two complete sets of recordings of these symphonies. His music has given great pleasure to all musicians, whether soloists, chamber groups or orchestras. Amateur music makers are always pleased to perform his approachable style. Indeed Sir Malcolm has always composed as his “own man”, whatever fashion might be in vogue. A new biography of Sir Malcolm – Rogue Genius – has just been published, illustrating the increasing interest in his music.
‘Though now in well-deserved retirement, Sir Malcolm should be recognised for his lifetime’s achievements as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.’
Sir Malcolm said he was ‘thrilled to be honoured by the ISM, and to be joining such an eminent list of members who have received the Distinguished Musician Award’.
Born in Northampton in 1921, Sir Malcolm studied trumpet at the RCM with Ernest Hall and composition with Gordon Jacob. Shortly after joining the LPO, he was promoted to principal trumpet. In 1948 he took up full-time composing, writing many concertos for performers he admired, and composing up to six film scores a year: the music for Bridge on the River Kwai won him an Oscar. Sir Malcolm was appointed CBE in 1970 and was knighted in 1993. In 1986 he received the Ivor Novello Award, and in 2001 was made a fellow of the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters to mark his 80th birthday. Sir Malcolm now lives in Norfolk.
The special medal for the Distinguished Musician Award will be presented to Sir Malcolm in the near future.