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Composer

 

Martin Arnold is a Canadian composer who was born on May 13, 1959, in Ottawa, Ontario. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Arnold began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and bass. He attended the University of Toronto, where he studied composition with John Beckwith and piano with William Aide. Arnold's early works were influenced by the minimalist and post-minimalist movements of the 1970s and 1980s. He was particularly drawn to the music of Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Terry Riley. Arnold's compositions from this period often featured repetitive patterns and simple harmonic structures. In the 1990s, Arnold began to explore more experimental and avant-garde approaches to composition. He became interested in the work of composers such as John Cage, Morton Feldman, and Christian Wolff. Arnold's compositions from this period often featured unconventional instrumentation and extended techniques. One of Arnold's most notable works from this period is "Points and Waltzes," a piece for string quartet that was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet in 1995. The piece features a series of short, fragmented melodies that are repeated and developed throughout the work. The piece also includes sections where the performers are instructed to improvise and make decisions about the order and duration of the musical material. In the early 2000s, Arnold began to incorporate elements of found sound and field recordings into his compositions. He became interested in the idea of using everyday sounds as musical material and began to experiment with ways of incorporating these sounds into his works. One of Arnold's most notable works from this period is "The Spit Veleta," a piece for chamber ensemble that was commissioned by the BBC in 2006. The piece features a series of field recordings of everyday sounds, such as traffic, birdsong, and the sound of a washing machine. These sounds are combined with live instrumental performances to create a complex and layered sonic landscape. Arnold's more recent works have continued to explore the use of found sound and field recordings, as well as the use of unconventional instrumentation and extended techniques. He has also become interested in the idea of collaboration and has worked with a number of other artists, including visual artists, dancers, and poets. One of Arnold's most recent works is "Slip Trains," a piece for string quartet and electronics that was commissioned by the Bozzini Quartet in 2018. The piece features a series of field recordings of trains and train stations, which are combined with live instrumental performances and electronic processing to create a rich and immersive sonic environment. Overall, Martin Arnold is a composer who has consistently pushed the boundaries of contemporary classical music. His works are characterized by their experimental approach to composition, their use of found sound and field recordings, and their exploration of unconventional instrumentation and extended techniques. Arnold's music is challenging and thought-provoking, and it continues to inspire and influence a new generation of composers and performers.

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