MALCOLM ARNOLD: The Three Musketeers (ballet by David Nixon; music arr. & orchestrated by John Longstaff) – Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra/John Pryce-Jones – Quartz QTZ 2056, 79:49 [Distr. by Allegro] ****:
This ballet’s origin is an interesting story. In 1975 Malcolm Arnold came close to writing a Three Musketeers ballet. He even spent a day with one of the Royal Ballet people planning the project, but the composer (who was on the verge of a breakdown) never took the idea any further. In 2003 two authors were researching a biography on Arnold and came across the story about the aborted ballet. One suggested the creation of one for the Northern Ballet, using already-composed pieces from Arnold’s large output. Conductor Pryce-Jones and arranger John Longstaff came along, and soon 25 separate sections had been arranged from Arnold’s existing music, including excerpts from his Second, Third and Fifth Symphonies, his English and Cornish Dances, Flute Concerto, Serenade for Orchestra, and film music from two of his cinema scores. The final irony of the story is that the new ballet score was premiered on the evening of the same day in 2006 that the composer died.
Arnold’s music was felt to be the perfect choice to go with Dumas’ story, since it is known for often wearing its heart on its sleeve and yet apt to break into swashbuckling, thrilling passages. There are lyrical love themes, wild dances and fanfareish music of celebration. The origins of all the selections are listed in the note booklet and the ballet orchestra is on its toes thruout, with good sonics to match. Also satisfying that many recent CDs, such as this one, make fullest use of the 80 minute capacity of CDs today.
– John Sunier
