English Dances Sets 1 & 2 / Cornish Dances
These modern examples of the "classical music ethnic dance  craze" are simply adorable. Their inspiration comes from those two great  Romantic compositions, Brahms'sHungarian DancesandDvorák's Slavonic  Dances; and like those two vivacious and popular works, these jolly little  pieces helped put their composer on the musical map. Arnold began his career as  a trumpeter, composed music for several films (includingThe Bridge on the  River Kwai), and has since gone on to create an imposing orchestral legacy.  But for many people, he's still the guy who wrote theEnglish Dances, and  they make the perfect introduction to his expertly crafted and brilliantly  orchestrated musical universe.--David Hurwitz