The 10th Malcolm Arnold Festival, subtitled ‘A Gesture of Friendship’ took place on 17 – 18 October at the Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton. This year featured the first BBC broadcast from the Festival and the first performance by a BBC Orchestra – The BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Martin Yates presenting a programme that included the towering 7th Symphony and the Fantasy on a Theme of John Field with pianist Peter Donohoe. Other highlights included the bittersweet Concerto for Two Violins and Strings (1962), originally written for Yehudi Menuhin and his pupil Alberto Lysy to perform at the Bath Festival.
The BBC Concert Orchestra concert is available to listen again here