Richard ARNELL (b.1917)

Richard Anthony Sayer Arnell was born in Hampstead, North London on 15 September 1917, to Richard Sayer, a builder and Héléne Marie. Tony, as affectionately called by his friends, was an only child and had his first piano lessons with his governess, Marjorie Calder. He attended Hall School, a preparatory school in Hampstead (1924-7), and University College School, also in Hampstead (1927-35) where, in his spare time, he formed a dance band and made 16mm films. He attended the Royal College of Music from 1935 to 1939, studying the piano with John Dykes, and composition with John Ireland, having been recommended to the RCM by Dr Richard Chanter, the music master at his last school.

 

In 1938 the students at the college performed his now forgotten Violin Concerto. His first professional broadcast was that of his Classical Variations, Op. 1, for strings, relayed on WQXR, New York on 31 December 1941. But it was probably his Overture: New Age, Op. 2, that established him as a composer. It was first performed in Carnegie Hall, under Leon Barzin in 1941.

 

In his first years in America, Arnell wrote his Sinfonia quasi variazione, Op. 13, which is his first symphony but he did not allocate it a number ewondering whether it was really a symphony!f He composed a splendid orchestral score for Robert Flahertyfs documentary film, The Land. Arnell enjoyed America and from 1943 to 1945; he was a consultant for the BBC North America Service. He lived a Bohemian existence with his first wife and daughter in rented bedsits and even had to rent a piano.

 

Arnellfs break came when one of Americafs most aggressive critics had distinguished conductor Sir Thomas Beechamfs ear and told him about Tony, who summoned him to the Ritz in 1941. On the telephone, Arnell told the conductor that he had several orchestral works, which brought the response, gBring a suitcase full, my boy!h Sir Thomas went on to give Arnell eight premieres, including Arnellfs first commercial recording, the Ballet Suite: Punch and the Child, Op. 49, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

back to Composers' Corner