Arnold: Dances

Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

This set includes the Four Welsh Dances, not otherwise available on CD. These were the last to be written, and their mood follows on naturally from the ambivalence of the IrishDances. Penny's... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Catalogue No: 8553526
Label: Naxos
Length: 54 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

British Music - up to 25% off

Special offer ends: 08/05/2024

Arnold: English Dances, Set 1, Op. 27

Work length8:38

$4.00

$5.20

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
Recorded: 11-15 December 1995
Recording Venue: Queensland

No. 1. Andantino

Track length2:51

$1.00

$1.30

No. 2. Vivace

Track length1:44

$1.00

$1.30

No. 3. Mesto

Track length2:25

$1.00

$1.30

No. 4. Allegro risoluto

Track length1:38

$1.00

$1.30

Arnold: English Dances, Set 2, Op. 33

Work length9:17

$4.00

$5.20

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
Recorded: 11-15 December 1995
Recording Venue: Queensland

No. 1. Allegro non troppo

Track length3:07

$1.00

$1.30

No. 2. Con brio

Track length1:29

$1.00

$1.30

No. 3. Grazioso

Track length2:29

$1.00

$1.30

No. 4. Giubiloso

Track length2:12

$1.00

$1.30

Arnold: Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59

Work length8:47

$4.00

$5.20

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
Recorded: 11-15 December 1995
Recording Venue: Queensland

No. 1. Pesante

Track length2:08

$1.00

$1.30

No. 2. Vivace

Track length2:08

$1.00

$1.30

No. 3. Allegretto

Track length3:10

$1.00

$1.30

No. 4. Con brio

Track length1:21

$1.00

$1.30

Arnold: Four Cornish Dances, Op. 91

Work length10:03

$4.00

$5.20

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
Recorded: 11-15 December 1995
Recording Venue: Queensland

No. 1. Vivace

Track length1:37

$1.00

$1.30

No. 2. Andantino

Track length3:09

$1.00

$1.30

No. 3. Con moto e sempre senza parodia

Track length2:36

$1.00

$1.30

No. 4. Allegro ma non troppo

Track length2:41

$1.00

$1.30

Arnold: Four Irish Dances Op. 126

Work length7:47

$4.00

$5.20

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
Recorded: 11-15 December 1995
Recording Venue: Queensland

No. 1. Allegro con energico

Track length1:19

$1.00

$1.30

No. 2. Commodo

Track length2:44

$1.00

$1.30

No. 3. Piacevole

Track length1:38

$1.00

$1.30

No. 4. Vivace

Track length2:06

$1.00

$1.30

Arnold: Four Welsh Dances, Op. 138

Work length9:56

$4.00

$5.20

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
Recorded: 11-15 December 1995
Recording Venue: Queensland

No. 1. Allegro

Track length1:22

$1.00

$1.30

No. 2. Poco lento

Track length2:59

$1.00

$1.30

No. 3. Vivace

Track length2:08

$1.00

$1.30

No. 4. Andante con moto

Track length3:27

$1.00

$1.30

Reviews
Explore

Reviews

2010

This set includes the Four Welsh Dances, not otherwise available on CD. These were the last to be written, and their mood follows on naturally from the ambivalence of the IrishDances. Penny's tempos are very like Arnold's own in his superb set made with the LPO for Lyrita. Where there's a difference, Penny is slightly faster, but the effect is marginal.
The greater character of the LPO under Arnold shows in the very first of the EnglishDances, notably at the reprise, which is more warmly positive.
The Queensland Hall is reverberant, and detail is generally less well focused than on the Lyrita disc; yet so vivid is Arnold's scoring that not much is missed. The lovely Mesto third English Dance is beautifully done in Queensland, and in the second set of English Dances, the Con brio and Giubiloso have all the necessary colour and flair. The Australian orchestra has obviously warmed up for the Scottish set and the inebriated Glaswegian is nicely observed.
For some the lyrical third Scottish Dance is one of the most beautiful and memorable of all Arnold's many fine tunes.
Penny treats it gently; his coda is particularly delicate, but at its appearance on the full strings the composer is that little bit more romantic. However, Penny's closing dance, a Highland fling, is superb in its drunken abandon.
In the opening Cornish Dance that follows, Penny captures the mysterious evocation of deserted copper mines well, and in the IrishDances, written some 20 years later, he captures the fragile mood of the central Commodo and Piacevole tenderly. This is altogether an excellent and inexpensive collection.

A mandatory purchase for lovers of Arnold's music... Certainly this Naxos disc is useful for including the Welsh Dances, and for its price it is not to be sniffed at.

2011 edition

The performances have the composer's imprimatur (he was present at the recording sessions) and can be recommended as an ideal representation of Arnold's spontaneous orchestral writing.

Offer,Arnold: Dances

CD

Downloads

Contents

Download queue