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Denis Arnold

1926 – 1986

British musicologist and academic

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About Denis Arnold

Lived 1926 – 1986 (aged 59). Denis Arnold was a British musicologist and editor.

Denis Midgley Arnold (Sheffield, 15 December 1926 – Budapest, 28 April 1986) was a British musicologist.

Biography After being employed in the extramural department of Queen's University, Belfast, he became a Lecturer in Music at the University of Hull, and from 1969 to 1975 was Professor of Music at The University of Nottingham. From 1975 he was Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University. He served as editor of Music & Letters.

He is best known for his editing of The New Oxford Companion to Music (1983, Oxford University Press), which under his editorship grew to a two-volume work of some 2000 pages, with a broader coverage than Percy Scholes' original; and for his work on the music of Monteverdi, Marenzio and Giovanni Gabrieli. A frequent broadcaster, he also reviewed a great many recordings (mostly in the field of Renaissance music) for Gramophone. The Denis Arnold Hall at the University of Oxford and the Denis Arnold Music Library at the University of Nottingham are both named after him.

Arnold died on 28 April 1986 in Budapest, Hungary.

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Important facts

Birth century
Positions held
Heather Professor of Music
Employers
University of Nottingham, University of Hull, Queen's University Belfast
Awards
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Denis Midgley Arnold

People in Denis Arnold's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Denis Arnold's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Denis Arnold?

British musicologist and academic

When was Denis Arnold born?

Denis Arnold was born on 15 December 1926 in Sheffield.

When did Denis Arnold die?

Denis Arnold died on 28 April 1986 in Budapest.

What was Denis Arnold's occupation?

Denis Arnold was a musicologist and editor.

What nationality was Denis Arnold?

Denis Arnold was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Denis Arnold

· Wikidata: Q3022522

· DBpedia: Denis Arnold

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Denis Arnold. https://biography.guide/denis-arnold/

MLA: "Denis Arnold." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/denis-arnold/.

Chicago: "Denis Arnold." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/denis-arnold/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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