Composed in 1982 Malcolm Arnold's Trumpet Concerto was written to mark the centenary of the foundation of the Royal College of Music. Before devoting himself entirely to composition, Arnold was the principal trumpet in the Philharmonia Orchestra, and his mastery of the instrument is evident throughout this brilliantly compact 12-minute work. 'Contemporary-music-without-tears has always been his aim, and this succinct little three-movement work showed him as skilful as ever in unpretentious directness of utterance, as it were in the vernacular. For the soloist it is a gift, alike in the first movement's almost indispensable fanfare-like challenges, in melody someitmes as nostalgic as Poulenc (especially haunting in the seductively scored central Andante) and in the Finale's flashes of virtuosity.' The Times ( Joan Chissell), 31 January 1983

The anarchic St Trinian's schoolgirls win a UNESCO prize trip to Rome, in the second St Trinian's film. Upon arrival they become involved with a jewel thief (Lionel Jeffries) who hides out with the school, disguised as the headmistress.

During the Second World War, Air Commodore Waltby is flying to Allied Command Headquarters with an attaché case packed with information that could stave off an invasion by Germany. Unfortunately, his plane is shot down and he and three colleagues are left drifting in a lifeboat in the North Sea - with the vital intelligence reports still not in the hands of Allied Command. As the Allied authorities direct the search, the four men are edging closer to death and the Germans are planning their assault.

Powerful drama about loyalties and the industrial workplace in early 60s Britain. Factory worker Tom Arnold (Richard Attenborough) does not share the same feelings as his fellow workers in a developing industrial dispute and refuses to go on strike with them. This results in him being 'sent to Coventry' by all concerned, including his best friend Joe Wallace (Michael Craig). The newspapers soon hear about this and the story becomes a matter of national concern, with many different parties trying to use Tom's stance to their own ends.

Rinaldo and Armida was written for the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet Company (UK).
Duration: c.9 minutes.
Orchestra
3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 B-flat clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in B-flat, tuba, timpani, percussion (2 players), celesta, 2 harps (harp 2 is optional) and strings.
The complete ballet is available from Faber Music upon request.

A collection of films made by Tony Palmer for the long-running ITV culture series The South Bank Show, released to coincide with the programme's demise in 2009 after a lifespan of over 30 years. Films included are: 'Maria Callas: Callas', 'William Walton: At the Haunted End of the Day', 'Margot Fonteyn: Margot', 'Stravinsky: Once at a Border', 'Benjamin Britten: A Time There Was.', 'John Adams: Hail Bop! - A Portrait of John Adams', 'Renee Fleming: Miss Renee Fleming', 'Malcolm Arnold: Toward the Unknown Region', 'Henryk Gorecki: The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs', 'Berlioz: I, Berlioz' and 'Michael Crawford: The Fantastic World of Michael Crawford'.

Lancashire bootmaker Henry Horatio Hobson (Charles Laughton) keeps a tight rein on his three daughters, until his eldest, Maggie (Brenda De Banzie), marries his assistant Willie Mossop (John Mills) and sets him up in his own bootmaking firm. To Hobson's consternation, Willie has soon become his father-in-law's main business rival.

1960s drama starring Peter Finch as a parliamentary MP whose thirst for greater power leads him into political intrigue. Johnnie Byrne (Finch) is a Labour MP who aspires to the big-time. His hopes are raised when his party triumphs in a general election, but Johnnie is overlooked for a role on the front benches. To top it off, his wife (Rosalie Crutchley) has just left him and balancing two mistresses, including the youthful Pauline (Mary Peach), is proving difficult. When Johnny is approached by a couple of fellow backbenchers for help in a scheme that may destabilise the government but advance their careers, Johnny is faced with an important choice...

Malcolm Arnold's Fantasy for Descant Recorder is an exciting, varied piece which explores the range of the instrument. With a combination of lively, highly ornamented phrases and slow, lyrical lines, this work in an excellent opportunity to showcase your abilities to transport a listener through various moods.

Powerful drama about loyalties and the industrial workplace in early 60s Britain. Factory worker Tom Arnold (Richard Attenborough) does not share the same feelings as his fellow workers in a developing industrial dispute and refuses to go on strike with them. This results in him being 'sent to Coventry' by all concerned, including his best friend Joe Wallace (Michael Craig). The newspapers soon hear about this and the story becomes a matter of national concern, with many different parties trying to use Tom's stance to their own ends.