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Technical Notice
| Classical Composer: | Arnold, Malcolm |
|---|---|
| Work: | Symphony No. 3, Op. 63 |
| Year Composed: | 1957 |
| Instrumentation: | 2+pic.2.2.2/4331/timp.3perc/timp/str |
| Publishers: |
Chester Music and Novello & Co. Sikorski |
| Duration: | 00:32:00 |
| Period: | 20th Century |
| Work Category: | Orchestral |
Work Information
Available Recording(s)
The Third Symphony (1954-57), commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society "to take the place of one Sir William Walton couldn't finish, " was first performed in the Royal Festival Hall, London, by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under John Pritchard on 2nd December 1957. In three movements, the score calls for piccolo, double woodwind, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani and strings. According to the composer's own original programme note, "the first movement has two main subjects, the first of which is played by the violins, violas, flutes and bassoon at the very outset of the piece. Later on the second subject is first stated by the oboe accompanied by violins. Towards the end of the movement the tempo abruptly changes [ from Allegro to Vivace ]and the same material is developed as a scherzo. The [ passacaglia ]second movement, elegiac in character, is a set of [ twenty ] variations based on a series of chords more than a melodic theme. The [ Haydnesque ] last movement is based on three main themes and could be loosely described as a rondo." The Sibelian sub-plot of the work Arnold attributes to the telescoped structure of the first movement, and the presence of "a recurrent leitmotif" redolent of Sibelius's Fifth Symphony, likewise the Franck D minor Symphony (both of which, within a fortnight, he played with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in February 1944).
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