Commissioned by the BBC

  • 2(pic)222/4331/timp.perc/str
  • cello
  • 25 min

Programme Note

Arnold Cooke: Cello Concerto

Arnold Cooke was born in Gomersal, near Leeds, on 4 November 1906. He went to Repton School and studied at Cambridge University for a B.Mus under Professor Dent. Between 1929-32 Arnold Cooke went to Berlin to study with Hindemith at the High School for Music. Upon his return to England he took a temporary job as Musical Director of the Festival Theatre back in Cambridge. In the summer of 1933 Arnold Cooke was appointed Professor of Harmony and Composition to the then Royal Manchester College of Music, remaining there for five years. After the war he decided to settle in London and in 1947 joined Trinity College of Music in the same position as the one he had in Manchester. He took his D.Mus degree at Cambridge in 1948.

Arnold Cooke has written other concertos which include those for the piano, oboe and violin.

The composer had to say this about the work:

"It is written in the traditional concerto form in three movements, the first being a fairly broad allegro with several themes and a cadenza for the cello alone shortly before the end, then a slow movement of a more melodic and reflective character, and a finale in a lighter and gayer mood."