Private Widdle

Whilst working from home today, with 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' on Film 4 in the background, I couldn't help noticing that Malcolm Arnolds score sounds in parts very similar to his scores for both 'Dunkirk' and 'The Sea Shall Not Have Them' - anyone else noticed this?

julian_craster

Many of Malcolm Arnold's film post-1956 scores sound alike, regardless of the subject of the film ! - just a bit of local colour added for Island in the Sun, The Lion and Nine Hours to Rama

Laziness ?

Windthrop

I don't care what anyone says he was a true genius in his composing IMHO. Hobson's Choice is my personal favorite. If you ever get the chance to watch the 2 part South Bank Show about him do so. It was superb and made during his life. A word of warning though - there is footage of him towards the end of his life and it is quite chilling.

You can't see the join !

Guenther

Crastner
How do for example "Nine Hours to Rama" and "The Lion" sound alike?

You might have a problem with his overall style... But than you would have the same problem with Barry, Herrmann, Rozsa etc... a lot of there scores also "sound alike"

I admit, there is a similarity between "The Lion" and "Roots of Heaven" or for example "Inn of the Sixth Happiness" and "Heroes of Telemark"

There is no other film score quite like "Whistle Down the Wind", "No Love for Johnnie" or "The Reckoning"... Tell me where there are similarities with other Arnold film scores or any other film scores for that matter.

Dave Rattigan

It's unsurprising that film music from the same composers often tended to sound the same. It was underpaid and usually written quickly under tight deadlines.

Herrmann used exactly the same motif for a whole ton of his best-known scores.

Being a one-time youth orchestra kid, I have a certain fondness for Arnold, who wrote lots of highly playable and accessible music for younger and/or amateur players. I find it a pity that he is pretty much neglected, especially by the Proms, who tend to wheel out one or two of the jokier pieces every year (eg Grand, Grand Overture) and ignore some of his more serious works, such as the symphonies.

julian_craster

Although there is a considerable range in his output, I have noticed similarities in the orchestration of the Malcolm Arnold scores for

The Inspector (1962)

No Love for Johnnie (1961)

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)

The Roots of Heaven (1958)

The Key (1958)

Island in the Sun (1957)

Gerald Lovell

You might have a problem with his overall style... But than you would have the same problem with Barry, Herrmann, Rozsa etc... a lot of there scores also "sound alike"

This is a very fair point. I can usually recognise a score by any of the above three composers (and many others) without being told who wrote it beforehand. Surely it's just a matter of style.