Arnold: The Smoke, Op. 21

“Arnold's genius was particularly suited to smallscale orchestral works, and every one of these examples shows his orchestral personality at its exuberant best. Beckus the Dandipratt came first, in 1943, a portrait which has the wit of Strauss's Till and the harum-scarum quality of Walton's Scapino. Tam O'Shanter, a brilliantly droll portrayal drawing on the Burns poem, has a spectacular climax bringing an orchestral realisation of bagpipes. The Grand, Grand FestivalOverture, written for a 1956 Gerard Hoffnung festival, is remembered for including parts for four vacuum cleaners and the floor polisher. But this piece isn't just about high spirits; it has a really good tune, too. There's another memorable tune in the vivid Peterloo, which is more of a Lisztian tone-poem.
The brief Anniversary Overture was for a Hong Kong fireworks spectacular, while The Smoke brings a sultry atmosphere in its middle section.
The Fair Field celebrates the Croydon Concert Hall (with its superb acoustics), A SussexOverture is jauntily characteristic, while the Orchestral Flourish, not surprisingly, brings resplendent brass. The lively Robert Kett Overture is a recording premiere. The Chandos recording is of the demonstration class.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Marvellously played, with a truly Arnoldian infectious exhilaration, and the Chandos recording is in the demonstration bracket.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition