It’s been brought to my attention by Patrick Jonathan that tomorrow will mark the tenth anniversary of the passing of English composer Richard Arnell. While I am not in the habit of commemorating death anniversaries, I will make an exception in the case of this neglected and deserving composer of much attractive and inspirational music.

Join me today on The Classical Network, following today’s Noontime Concert, for a sampling of Arnell’s output. Just how much of it will be heard remains to be seen. I’ve pretty much got a clean slate from 1 to 4 p.m. EDT.

First, we’re off to midtown Manhattan for another concert presented under the auspices of Gotham Early Music Scene (or GEMS). Empire Viols will perform a program of transcriptions of organ trios by Johann Sebastian Bach and Bach pupil Johann Ludwig Krebs. The concert was given last June at Saint Bartholomew’s Church, 325 Park Avenue, as part of GEMS’ free Midtown Concerts series. Free concerts are held at St. Bart’s every Thursday at 1:15 p.m. This Thursday, Douglas Lundeen will perform a recital of French works composed for the piston-valve French horn. To find out more, visit gemsny.org.

Then stay tuned, as I dip into my arsenal of Arnell. I’ll be manning the cannons against the canon, from 12 to 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

If you’re interested, here’s a link to a conversation I had with Warren Cohen, music director of the MusicaNova Orchestra. Musica Nova is a really fascinating organization, based in Phoenix, AZ, that bills itself as presenting “the greatest music you’ve never heard – yet.” Cohen knew Arnell personally and gave the U.S. premieres of a number of his major works. The interview took place on the occasion of the composer’s centenary. The soundfile includes a Musica Nova performance of Arnell’s Symphony No. 5 – subtitled “The Gorilla!” – and Cohen’s beautiful arrangement for string orchestra, sanctioned by the composer, of the Elegy from Arnell’s String Quartet No. 3.