Malcolm Arnold was born in Northampton, England, on October 21, 1921, and died in Norwich, England, on September 23, 2006. Approximate performance time is thirteen minutes.

At the age of 12, English composer Sir Malcolm Arnold was inspired to play the trumpet after seeing Louis Armstrong perform in Bournemouth. Arnold attended London’s Royal College of Music, where he studied both trumpet and composition. After two years of study, Arnold joined the trumpet section of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, soon being promoted to Principal. Arnold had a brief tenure with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra prior to returning to the London Philharmonic. There, Arnold remained until 1948. At that point, Malcolm Arnold abandoned his orchestral career to focus on composition. A prolific composer, Arnold’s works include 9 symphonies, and more than 100 film scores, including The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he won both an Academy Award and a Grammy.

Arnold composed his Flute Concerto No. 1 for his friend Richard Adeney (1920-2010), Principal Flute of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and English Chamber Orchestra, and a founding member of the Melos Ensemble. Adeney was the soloist in the Concerto’s premiere that took place in April 1954 at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The Concerto, scored for flute and strings, is in three movements. The first (Allegro energico) contrasts mercurial, wide-ranging melodies with one featuring an insistent bolero accompaniment. The central, Andante, showcases the flute’s lyrical qualities. The brief finale, which Arnold directs to be played “with fire” (Con fuoco) is a brilliant virtuoso display.

program notes by Ken Meltzer