British composer Sir Malcolm Arnold died last night (September 22), aged 84.
Sir Malcolm became the first Briton to win an Oscar for his 1957 score for Alec Guinness starrer The Bridge On The River Kwai - which he composed in just ten days - and was reportedly suffering from a chest infection.
He was one of the most sought after composers from the late 40s to early 60s and composed the scores for 132 films - including The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness, Hobson's Choice and Whistle Down The Wind - but his work also included nine symphonies and several ballets.
His 85th birthday year was in the process of being celebrated with a series of concerts around the world - although he was overlooked by this year's Proms.
Troubled by mental illness and alcoholism, he spent several spells in hospital but despite being told he had two years left to live in 1984, continued to work.
He has lived for the last 23 years with his "companion and right-hand man" Anthony Day, near Norwich, and is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Cellist Julian Lloyd Webber said: "He was a total genius, but a very badly behaved genius, but then so was Mozart."
The premiere of his ballet version of the Three Musketeers was staged at Bradford's Alhambra on Saturday night.
The performance, which was dedicated to him, went ahead as planned.
