Reviews
Robert Burns Arnot: Christmas Choral Symphony
Wiener Klassische
It’s easy to picture Robert Burns Arnot’s Christmas Choral Symphony being part of any number of seasonal concert presentations—so long, that is, as the venue staging it has sufficient physical space to do so. Structured in eight parts, the work is short at twenty-four minutes, yet, in this iteration at least, the presentation involves the combined forces of the Vienna Boys Choir and the Vienna Synchron Orchestra, conducted by Gerhart Rabl and Bernhard Voss, respectively. The number of individuals involved mightn’t be as massive as that required for Mahler’s eighth symphony, but it’s nevertheless a large number.
In being richly tonal and melodic, the piece, like Arnot’s music in general, is easy on the ears; that it’s a world premiere recording enhances its value too. It’s not, however, the only time he’s composed a Christmas-themed work. In 2024, Wiener Klassische issued two separate volumes of his music, with one pairing his six-part The Christmas Symphony with the single-movement A Visit from St. Nicholas, both also performed by the Vienna Synchron Orchestra under Voss’s direction, and the other, Molokai: A Treacherous Crossing, a decidedly different release in featuring performances by the Czech Studio Orchestra and conductor Mikel Toms of Arnot’s second, third, and fourth symphonies.
Arnot’s fortunate to have such esteemed partners bringing Christmas Choral Symphony to life. Active since 1498, the Vienna Boys Choir is arguably the world’s foremost children’s choral group, while the 2016-founded Vienna Synchron Orchestra features superior calibre musicians from Vienna and the surrounding area. As is often the case when young singers are involved, the choir’s pure, resonant voices imbue the work with innocence and wonder. The orchestra is also pivotal in expressing the many facets of the story, from the severity of a winter storm to moments that exult in the joy of the season. Vocal and instrumental elements form a rapidly changing tapestry that’s compact in the extreme. Rabl and Voss deserve credit for ensuring that this multi-faceted and dramatically contrasting work achieves the cohesiveness it does and feels thematically integrated.
The work begins enticingly with “A Visit from St. Nikolaus,” where jingle bells, church bells, and strings accompany the singers’ awe-struck recounting of the visit and usher the listener into the work’s magical sound space. Bell tinklings and lilting rhythms lend the movement a lullaby-like quality that’s bolstered by the gentle soar of the choir and lustre of the strings. Introduced by shimmering strings and bell tones, the orchestra-only second movement “Winter Variations” oscillates between serenity and severity, such contrast reflective of the unpredictability and volatility of the season. While a similar sound design initiates the third movement, “Romanze” reinstates the vocal element for a lyrical expression emblematic of affirmation and resolve.
For the short fourth part, Arnot’s fashioned a setting of the “Dies Irae” that’s harmonically unsettled, the composer wishing to remind us by such a choice that while Christmas celebrates the Incarnation and First Coming, it culminates in the Cross, Resurrection, and eventual Second Coming. Such a statement seamlessly segues into the tempestuous interlude “Winter Storm,” which, in the agitation of its vocal and instrumental elements, suggests chaos, struggle, and turmoil. Rebirth and recovery are intimated by the splendour of the “Prelude & Sonata” that follows, with woodwinds, horns, and strings dancing together and the choir declaiming rapturously. Based on Christina Rossetti’s enduring poem, the brief choral setting “In the Bleak Midwinter” invites the listener to reflect before the onset of the triumphant “Finale” and its paean to joy and the indomitable resilience of the human spirit. With his Christmas Choral Symphony, Arnot’s crafted an engaging, story-based work that will reward the adult listener but has the capacity to captivate young ones too. It’s a work that therefore lends itself to being presented in both a conventional concert hall setting and at an elementary school to engage with an entirely different set of listeners. For programmers looking to add a new title to their Christmas-themed concert set-lists, this work might be just the thing.
Textura, January 2026
The Cottonbrook Suite: Symphonic Music for Orchestra features works by Robert Burns Arnot. The recording offers a trio of orchestral pieces by the American composer. … The influence of the Classical and early Romantic eras is prevalent in Arnot’s music. His orchestrations are unfailingly bright and transparent. An accomplished trumpeter in his own right, Arnot prominently features that instrument not only as a soloist in his Double Concerto, “The Duel,” but within the fabric of the ensemble as well. His melodies exude a refreshing brightness and optimism. Haydn has served as a profound musical influence for Arnot. And like Haydn, Arnot appreciates the value of conciseness in his musical argument. He makes his musical points succinctly, directly, and without excess.Great Spirits on Haunted Mountain (an Orchestral Fairy Tale) is a tone poem that depicts a mountain bike ride that ultimately ventures into a haunted village. A canon evoking music from a cathedral contrasts with depictions of the supernatural that owe a debt to Berlioz and Mussorgsky. The Double Concerto for Piccolo Trumpet and Violin, subtitled “The Duel,” pits the two solo instruments against each other. The influence of Haydn and his Trumpet Concerto is evident. The scoring of a solo piccolo trumpet evokes the Baroque as well. The duel is a rather polite one, as the soloists echo each other’s music. The tension and thrills manifest themselves in the virtuoso writing for the two soloists, trumpeter Walter Hofbauer, and violinist Roman Patočka, who are outstanding. In particular, Hofbauer’s playing of the daredevil piccolo trumpet part is stunning. The CD concludes with Arnot’s Symphony No. 1, nicknamed “Victoria” in honor of a heroic Ukraine physician. The Symphony is in four brief movements, each adopting an established structure from the eras of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven; I. Sonata, II. Andante and Variations, III. Minuet and Trio, and IV. Rondo. Here, the spirits of Haydn and Mozart reign supreme. The performances by the Czech Studio Orchestra and conductor Jan Chalupecký are admirable, as is the recorded sound. This is a lovely disc.
Ken Meltzer, Fanfare
The music of Robert Burns Arnot is tonal (building on tradition, as the booklet notes put it). He paints in bold colors, and orchestrates with a keen ear.
The “orchestral fairy-tale” Wild Midnight Ride puts the listener in the place of a rider on a long and difficult climb, terrorized by spirits of the night rising from a village of the dead. There is a detailed program attached to the piece, which identifies the various adventures of the rider, and how he meets and is empowered by (and is eventually under the protection of) the Great Spirit. The Czech Studio Orchestra give their all in this vivid music… The Double Concerto is scored for piccolo trumpet and violin with orchestra and is cast in two parts, with the second part holding slow movement and finale (Andante and Rondo). The composer intends the concerto to stand in the tradition of Haydn, and indeed it has a sense of ease of composition about it, as if it just flowed from Arnot’s pen. The first movement is remarkably happy, with the trumpet to the fore. There is indeed a sense of contest, of “duel” between the soloists, even in the Andante, when the soloists toss phrases from one to another, as if to challenge each other.
I am not aware of many concertos for trumpet and violin (I am of one for French horn and violin, as I am sure are many readers, that by Dame Ethyl Smyth). Walter Hofbauer has a ringing, clarion tone that is heard at its finest later in the piece; Roman Patočka is a valiant co-soloist, although inevitably the ear gravitates around the bright sound of the trumpet. A Double Concerto well worth hearing.
The First Symphony came out of detailed study of the processes of Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony. The work remains all-Arnot, though, with grand gestures clearly coming from a generous heart. The first movement is entitled “Sonata” and is a mini-sonata form orchestral movement of only three and a half minutes’ duration. … There is plenty more juice in what are, to be fair, some fine ideas. The Andante and Variations is even shorter (two and a half minutes) and features a prominent part for trumpet again (Arnot is himself a trumpet player). One can perhaps hear a Beethovenian influence in this central movement (perhaps the Allegretto from the Seventh Symphony lies behind its sense of onward tread), and the Czech players are absolutely brilliant in the rhythmic accuracy of their execution. The Minuet is graceful, its wind-garlanded Trio playful before the longest movement (at four minutes) gets underway, a Rando whose scoring in many ways refers back to the orchestral fairy tale that began the disc. There is heft here, too, from the brass, but once more the ending sounds as if it comes just a touch too soon.
The actual title for this disc is The Cottonbrook Suite: Symphonic Music for Orchestra, the implication being that these three works constitute a greater whole. It refers to an area of Stowe, Vermont, where the composer took solace during the pandemic isolation months. Indeed, there are abandoned villages, and tales of the supernatural are rife there, leading in the first instance to Wild Midnight Ride. The three pieces can of course be enjoyed individually. This is an entertaining release. The program is well planned, and the Czech orchestra is in fine form.
Colin Clarke , Fanfare
“Arnot uses themes that sound like they might be traditional carols. Indeed, Overture, the first of The Christmas Symphony’s six movements, begins unmistakably with The First Nowell, before heading of in a different direction. Winter Variations, Romanze, Winter Storm, Prelude & Sonata & Finale follow in short order. The opening of his tone-poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, echoes that of Overture, both anticipating the arrival of the “much anticipated visitor” (booklet) … the Symphony s more of a Suite than a symphony … vividly recorded and played by the Vienna Synchron Orchestra…”
Jeremy, Nicholas, Gramophone
Robert Burns Arnot: The Christmas Symphony
Wiener Klassische
Robert Burns Arnot: Molokai: A Treacherous Crossing
Wiener Klassische
If Robert Burns Arnot had his way, a Third Viennese School would emerge to reinstate the tonal glories of Haydn, Mozart, and Brahms. Without stating it outright, the Vermont-based composer, medical doctor, and author would appear to be sympathetic to the views of conservative future historians who might deem the music of the Second Viennese School an aberration for its embrace of twelve-tone writing and atonality. Arnot’s music builds on the enduring harmonic foundation established by the First Viennese school and the Romantic period and entices with its melodic pop-classical character. Still, as enthusiastic a champion as he is of early composers, he’s not averse to recognizing the value of later ones such as Debussy and Messiaen, and he even has a kind word for The Rolling Stones in noting, for example, the band’s use of a B flat Mixolydian harmonic progression in “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” Consistent with that, one of the three works on Molokai: A Treacherous Crossing is titled Symphony No. 4: The Birth of Rock and Roll.
In all his works, Arnot draws on the musical legacies of others and his own thorough grounding in music theory and background as an instrumentalist. He joined the New England Conservatory at the age of twelve and studied trumpet under the direction of Boston Pops trombonist Paul Gay. Arnot’s interest in composition blossomed early, and consequently he dedicated years at the Conservatory to the study of composition, theory, styles, and techniques. His passion for learning has never abated, and to enhance his writing he’s learned to play piano, flute, violin, cello, and drums. Often favouring sonata form, he incorporates into his material drama, motivic development, rhythmic flair, counterpoint, and harmonic progressions. Sensitive to the effects of different keys, he modulates between moods as one movement leads to the next and structures material so that it evolves from exposition to development and recapitulation.
Two recent releases provide a solid account of his music. The first, Molokai: A Treacherous Crossing, features world premiere recordings by the Czech Studio Orchestra and conductor Mikel Toms of the Symphony No. 2: Molokai, Symphony No. 3: Birth of the Romantik, and the aforementioned fourth symphony; the second release, the shorter of the two, is Christmas-themed and arrives just in time for the winter season. His symphonies aren’t Brucknerian behemoths, a typical Arnot symphony being pocket-sized by comparison. There’s something to be said for brevity, however, and the four movements in his third and fourth symphonies are direct and unfussy. While the second symphony is presented as single-movement work of fifteen minutes duration, it’s comprised of five sections performed without interruption. Symphonies three and four, on the other hand, adhere to a four-movement sonata-like form.
Titled after the dangerous Pacific ocean crossing that connects the Hawaiian island of Molokai to Oahu, the second symphony is described in programmatic detail by Arnot in liner notes, but the work functions perfectly well as a pure instrumental expression. Like the other two works, this one works through “Sonata,” “Andante,” “Minuet and Trio,” and “Rondo” episodes after its initial “Overture.” Florid, bird-like flute trills introduce the piece as the music swells into being with elemental force. String glissandos and horns evoke the immensity of the ocean setting and the dangers posed by its rising waves. The tumult of the opening minutes gives way to a calmer section, though the thrill of intense activity is never far away. While declamatory horns imbue the work with a triumphant air during one passage, subdued woodwinds and strings add a melancholy tone to another; elsewhere, a playful part adds levity to a work that’s often sober. Each section follows fluidly from the one before as the piece pursues its journey with determination before resolving with a reprise of the flutes that initiated it.
In the writing of Symphony No. 3: Birth of the Romantik, Arnot used works by composers of the First Viennese school as building blocks for his own creation. As exuberant and expressive as the second, the work exudes a more conspicuous classical feel in the “Sonata,” which also acts as an overture of sorts. Whereas the “Romanza” movement is invitingly warm and soothing, “Minuet and Trio” engages for the plainspoken charm of its dance rhythms and melodies. The suitably dramatic “Finale” crowns the work with a robust statement that alternates between brooding and triumphant. In the title of his fourth symphony, Arnot pays tribute to rock musicians who’ve built on the foundation of classical music (in liner notes, he cites The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Elton John). Don’t let the title mislead, however: it’s a classical symphony, full stop, that, similar to the third symphony, moves from a spirited and occasionally pastoral folk-tinged “Sonata” to a luscious “Romanze,” regal “Minuet and Trio,” and celebratory “Rondo.”
On his second 2024 release, Arnot pairs his six-part The Christmas Symphony with the single-movement A Visit from St. Nicholas, both works conveying the wonder of the season and both treated to inspired performances by the Vienna Synchros Orchestra under conductor Bernhard Voss’s direction. Sparkling orchestral details—jingle bells, celesta, glockenspiel, and otherwise—instantly brand the works as Christmas-themed. Slightly calling to mind “The First Noel,” a woodwind melody introduces “Overture,” after which the movement blossoms into a lovely, joy-filled evocation of the festive season. While shimmering strings, celesta, and tolling bells hint at the chilly outdoors in the opening moments of “Winter Variations,” the feel inside is warm and cozy. The settled mood changes, however, with the advent of a regal fanfare, until, again, the activity level diminishes for the lyrical “Romanze.” Introduced by wild flurries of string arpeggios, “Winter Storm” is naturally turbulent, though a central episode brings a few moments of quiet when the storm calms. A combination of flute, clarinet, oboe, and strings lends “Prelude & Sonata” a peaceful, pastoral quality, though the tone abruptly changes when the music turns exuberant and majestic. A succinct “Finale” ushers the work to a celebratory close in keeping with the spirit of Christmas Day. Scenes change quickly when the symphony’s six movements total slightly more than sixteen minutes, with three under two minutes in length and only one pushing past five. Short also at seven minutes, the accompanying work, A Visit from St. Nicholas, elaborates on the material in the symphony’s “Overture” by building on its ABA form, the result an exultant and orchestrally vivid scene-painting that would be an ideal opener for a symphony orchestra’s Christmas-themed concert.
Both recordings are extremely listener-friendly whilst also evidencing strong degrees of craft in the writing and orchestration. Arnot’s well-served by the Czech Studio Orchestra and Vienna Synchros Orchestra and their respective conductors, who bring a high level of musicianship to the performances. As The Christmas Symphony release plays, it’s certainly easy to visualize a large family gathered by a roaring fire with a Christmas tree glistening and snowflakes falling outside. If one were to characterize it as a rather homey, Norman Rockwell-like scene, Arnot would not, one guesses, be offended to hear it described as such.
Textura, November 2024