Malcolm Arnold

Sir Malcolm Arnold towers among the premier British composers of the 20th century. The author of nine symphonies, 17 concertos, and 132 film scores, chief among them the Academy Award-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai, his adherence to tonality and melody positioned him in stark opposition to prevailing musical tastes, and he remains a critical lightning rod, championed by admirers for his populist sensibilities and decried by critics for the same reason. Born in Northampton on October 21, 1921, Arnold studied violin as a child. After witnessing a Louis Armstrong concert, t...