Sir Malcolm Arnold: The Complete Con Ifer Recordings

One of the most prolific British composers of the 20th century, Sir Malcolm Arnold remains best known for his phenomenal success in film (including an Oscar for his score for David Leans 1957 classic The Bridge on the River Kwai) and light music, a broad selection of which is included in Sony Classicals new 11-CD anthology along with 11 concertos. But the heart of his output, the works he regarded as his testament, are the nine symphonies, composed at fairly regular intervals between 1949 and 1986, with musical influences ranging from Holst and Vaughan Williams to Tchaikovsky, Mahler and Sibelius. Vernon Handleys recordings from the 1990s, many of them made in the composers presence, are a touchstone for this repertoire. As Gramophone declared: Its Handley who best conveys the sinewy logic and thrusting cogency of Arnolds symphonic odyssey.