With this disc Andrew Penny and the Irish National Symphony Orchestra round off their fine cycle of the nine Arnold symphonies for Naxos. These are the two most troubled and challenging of the symphonies in the series‚ reflecting the darkest period of the composer’s life. Already there were indications of that darker side in Symphonies Nos 5 and 6‚ coupled on Penny’s most recent disc (Naxos‚ 6/01)‚ but here the pessimism runs even deeper‚ with the rays of hope and joyÊ–Êso typical of the extrovert ArnoldÊ–Êcoming to seem almost ironic. Not that these are depressing works‚ for as a creative genius Arnold translates his emotions into symphonic structures at once imaginative and original. It has regularly been pointed out how odd it seems that the Seventh Symphony‚ the darkest of all‚ is dedicated‚ a movement apiece‚ to the composer’s three children. Plainly‚ these are not intended as portraits‚ but as very personal musical statements initially sparked off by elements in the characters and likings of each‚ as in the finale when a parodic reference to the music of the Irish group‚ The Chieftains‚ reflects the devotion of the composer’s son‚ Robert‚ to their music. The darkness is relieved both by the characteristic colourfulness of Arnold’s orchestration‚ with a battery of percussion prominent in No 7‚ and also by the wealth of thematic material‚ demonstrating the vitality of the composer’s imagination through his worst trial. After the massive arguments of No 7 (the longest of the symphonies apart from the spare No 9)‚ No 8‚ also in three movements‚ is more cryptic and compressed‚ though still weighty. For all its energetic thrust‚ the whirlwind finale‚ with its typically surreal quotations of an Irish marching song with piccolo‚ still leaves one on a question­mark. Whether or not one can love these two works as much as other Arnold symphonies‚ the sheer eventfulness of this music is what matters. This Naxos issue comes into direct rivalry with Handley’s Conifer disc of the première recordings of both works. By a fraction Handley’s are the more warmly expressive readings of both‚ with freer rubato‚ yet Penny and the Irish Orchestra gain from the extra clarity of the recording‚ full and open‚ bringing out inner detail in often­heavy textures‚ with dramatic contrasts sharply terraced. Handley may be marginally weightier‚ but Penny is just as compelling. At Naxos price these are works that plainly invite the attention not only of those who already enjoy Arnold’s music‚ but of any collector who enjoys a challenge.