- English Dances
"English Dances for Orchestra" (Op.27) and (Op.33) are two sets of
light music pieces, composed byMalcolm Arnold in 1950 and 1951. Each set consists of four dances inspired by, although not based upon, country folk tunes and dances. Each movement is denoted by the tempo marking, as the individual movements are untitled.Background
Bernard de Nevers the head of the composer's then publisherAlfred Lengnick & Co. asked Arnold to write a suite of dances akin toAntonín Dvořák ’sSlavonic Dances . This resulted in the first set. The set was premiered on 14 April 1951 by theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra conducted byAdrian Boult After the success of the first set de Nevers asked for a second set that the composer completed the following year.The second set was premiered on 5 August 1952 at the
Royal Albert Hall with theBBC Symphony Orchestra underMalcolm Sargent .The first movement of the second set, "Allegro Non Troppo", was used from 1969 to 2008 as the theme music for the long running UK television programme, "
What the Papers Say ".Movements
English Dances, Set I, Op. 27
I. "Andantino"
II. "Vivace"
III. "Mesto"
IV. "Allegro Risoluto"English Dances, Set II Op. 33
I. "Allegro Non Troppo"
II. "Con Brio"
III. "Grazioso"
IV. "Giubiloso - Lento E Maestoso"olitaire
In 1956
Kenneth MacMillan created the one act ballet Solitaire based on the two sets of English Dances. The composer created two new prieces for it the "Sarabande and Polka".First performed atSadler's Wells London in June 1956.Ballet sequencing
1. Set II, No. 3
2. Set I, No. 1
3. Set I, No. 2
4. Set I, No. 3
5. Set I, No. 4
6. Sarabande
7. Polka
8. Set II, No. 2
9. Set II, No. 1
10. Set II, No. 4
11. Set II, No. 3 (reprise)Arrangements
*1958 for Piano duet by
Franz Reizenstein
*1965 forWind band by Maurice Johnstone
*1984 forBrass band by Ray Farrelected commercial recordings
*1954
Adrian Boult and theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra latest CD release onDecca 468 803-2
*1977Charles Groves and theBournemouth Symphony Orchestra latest CD release onEMI 5747802 ( [http://www.emiclassics.co.uk/release.php?id=11885] )
*1979Malcolm Arnold and theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra onLyrita LP and CD: SRCD.201 ( [http://www.lyrita.co.uk] ))
*1990Bryden Thomson and thePhilharmonia onChandos CHAN 8867 ( [http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp?CNumber=CHAN%208867] )
*1996Andrew Penny and theQueensland Symphony Orchestra onNaxos Records 8.553526 ( [http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.553526] )ee also
*
Malcolm Arnold
*Scottish Dances External links
* [http://www.malcolmarnold.co.uk/compositions/op27.php English Dances (Set I) Malcolm Arnold homepage]
* [http://www.malcolmarnold.co.uk/compositions/op33.php English Dances (Set II) Malcolm Arnold homepage]
* [http://www.complete-music.co.uk/writers/midlengnickarnold.htm Alfred Lengnick & Co. page on Arnold]
* [https://www.brb.org.uk/masque/index.htm?act=Production&urn=4900&srn=8858&showpart=yes Brimingham Royal Ballet's page on Solitaire]
* [http://www.barry-kay-archive.org/DESIGN_WORKS/Indices/ST/ST_REVIEWS/reviews.html Barry Kay's 1978 designs for Solitaire]
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