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About Arcana

My name is Ben Hogwood, editor of the Arcana music site (arcana.fm)

On Record – The Peter Jacobs Anthology Volume 3 (Heritage Records)

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Peter Jacobs (piano)

Allum Nocturne in C sharp minor; Prelude No. 24 in D minor (both c.1950)
Bantock (arr. composer) Omar Khayam (1906-09) – Prelude and March
Fenney Au Printemps (pub. 1915)
MacDonald Waste of Seas (1976)
Purcell arr. Stevenson The Queen’s Dollour (pub. 1710, arr. 1958)
Simpson Variations and Finale on a Theme of Haydn (1948)
Truscott Prelude and Fugue in E flat minor; Prelude and Fugue in C major (1957)

Heritage Records HTGCD127 (67’25”)
Recorded live at London College of Music, April 1979

Reviewed by Richard Whitehouse

What’s the story?

Heritage continues adds to its extensive Peter Jacobs discography with this recital focussing on music by British composers mainly of the early and mid-twentieth century, each rendered with that combination of fluency and insight which this pianist brings to all his performances.

What’s the music like?

According to his booklet note, Jacobs gave this recital at an Annual General Meeting for the Havergal Brian Society in 1979, though the present writer remembers a pretty much identical programme being given at this event in 1982. The seeming unavailability of works by Brian (Four Miniatures then Prelude and Fugue in C minor) played on this occasion is regrettable, but these are easily available elsewhere while the recital’s purpose in drawing together music by various of Brian’s contemporaries, colleagues or advocates remains essentially unchanged.

Granville Bantock’s choral epic Omar Khayam has numerous excerpts worthy of autonomous status – not least its evocative Prelude and quizzical March. Apparently written in a weekend, Harold Truscott’s brace of Preludes and Fugues – that in E flat minor as methodical as that in C is impetuous – makes one regret he did not attempt a complete cycle. An amateur composer in the most professional sense, Walter Allum’s piano music wears its indebtedness to Chopin but deftly – witness his intricately designed Nocturne or Prelude in D minor which brings to a vividly decisive end a cycle likely worth hearing in its entirety. William J. Fenney enjoyed a modest reputation just after the First World War with Au Printemps (also known as ‘In Early Spring’) a trilogy the more affecting in its emotional restraint – ‘light’ music but never facile.

Forward to what was then the present, Malcolm MacDonald’s Waste of Seas (also known as Hebridean Prelude) sustaining a plangent atmosphere and of a pianistic resourcefulness to suggest his modest output as worth further investigation. A relatively early work, Variations and Finale on a Theme of Haydn has Robert Simpson drawing a wide but integrated range of moods from the innocuous Minuet of Haydn’s 47th Symphony (its palindromic aspect more intensively mined in Simpson’s Ninth Quartet), prior to an extended final section more akin to the iconoclastic fugal writing in late Beethoven. Such exhilaration needs a brief touchdown such as Jacobs supplies in Ronald Stevenson’s lucid take on one of Purcell’s most poignant inspirations; a reminder the former is often at his most creative in the realm of transcription.

Does it all work?

Indeed so, not least when those pieces by Bantock, Allum, Fenney and MacDonald have yet to receive commercial recordings. Jacobs himself has recorded the Truscott (Heritage) while there are studio accounts of the Simpson by Raymond Clarke (Hyperion) and of the Purcell/ Stevenson transcription from Murray McLachlan (Divine Art) or Christopher Guild (Toccata Classics). To hear these works in close proximity and so perceptively realized is, of course, its own justification and no one interested in this music need hesitate to acquire this release.

Is it recommended? Very much so. Whatever its provenance, the recording sounds entirely satisfactory thanks to Heritage’s expert remastering and one only hopes further such releases from Peter Jacobs’s doubtless extensive archive will be possible. This latest anthology is warmly recommended.

Listen / Buy

You can hear excerpts from the anthology at the Presto Music website, and explore purchase options at the Heritage Records website. Click on the composer names to read more about Robert Simpson, Ronald Stevenson and Harold Truscott

Published post no.2,761 – Thursday 8 January 2026

Switched On – Craven Faults: Yard Loup (The Leaf Label)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

As the new Craven Faults album Sidings nears release, The Leaf Label have teased another of its eight tracks. Yard Loup is much shorter than the previous single Far Closes, but gives an indication of the sonic world in which the producer is operating.

What’s the music like?

Picturesque – in that it paints many images in the mind’s eye. Craven Faults has a way of working that combines long drone phrases and quicker, less defined movements, in this case a gently shimmering treble. In this case the image conjured up is a wintry, watery scene.

Does it all work…and is it recommended?

It does, though I suspect it will work a lot better in the context of the album. It certainly whets the appetite.

Listen & Buy

You can listen to the two tracks from Sidings below:

Published post no.2,760 – Wednesday 7 January 2026

Switched On – Nathan Fake: Slow Yamaha (InFiné)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This is the second single from Nathan Fake‘s forthcoming album Evaporator, due for release on 20 February on InFiné. Although called Slow Yamaha, it features a musical depiction of evaporation at the end.

What’s the music like?

Hypnotic, and ultimately compelling. The start is deceptive, with a minimal approach but gradually the track develops and the horizons start to shimmer, with lovely warm synthesizers starting to dominate.

Big blocks of sound surround the listener, so that when the music disappears in a puff of air at the end the effect is similar to the sensation of taking off.

Does it all work…and is it recommended?

Yes indeed – a promising omen for the album, too!

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,759 – Tuesday 6 January 2026

In appreciation – Chris Rea

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by Ben Hogwood, photo courtesy of Wikipedia (c) Dutch Simba

There was only one way Arcana could sign off for Christmas 2025 – with a tribute to the sadly departed and much-missed Chris Rea.

Before the inevitable finale, I wanted to share a couple of favourites from his considerable collection of excellent songs – this beauty from 1983:

The song Josephine has become something of a Balearic anthem, and is a sun-soaked beauty:

Speaking of sunshine, I had to include On The Beach, another dreamy song that proved versatile enough to be worked into a late 1990s trance hit:

And of course, finally, the ubiquitous Driving Home For Christmas, one of the staple Christmas songs with its wistfulness, charm…and patience!

With many thanks to all Arcana readers this year for your input and support, as well as gratitude for our fine writing contributions from John Earls and Richard Whitehouse. Arcana will return in the first full week of the New Year, but for now have a wonderful and peaceful Christmas, and all very best wishes for 2026 when it comes.

Ben Hogwood, editor, Arcana

Published post no.2,758 – Wednesday 24 December 2025

Switched On – Charles Webster & The South African Connection – From The Hill (Stay True Sounds)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Charles Webster And The South African Connection’s new LP is a keenly anticipated set of work between the UK deep producer and the cream of the crop from South Africa. In a recent interview, Webster traces its roots:

“In 1997 when ‘Better Day’ by Presence came out, it was a hit on the radio in South Africa”…while “in England, it wasn’t on the radio at all”.

Webster boosted his profile in South Africa with a clutch of remixes, helping create a blueprint for a regional take on the deep, soulful house genre.

The press release documents the outcome of the project: “After the instant high of the project coming together so quickly and the collaborators all gelling effortlessly with Charles, Allan confesses that “there were moments where Charles was refining it, and I was thinking, how are we going to find this common thread between all these musical styles. Charles said don’t worry, this is what I do.”

What’s the music like?

Typically for Charles Webster, this is cool deep house music but with something extra. The Atmos Blaq collaboration Free is just that, an effortless piece of music with an airy trumpet break at its core, introducing The Artist, notable for Bokani Dyer’s vivid storytelling.

Many Blessings and the nippy A Journey channel the spirit of Matthew Herbert, while retaining Webster’s signature shuffle and liquid bass, while Film Me, From The Hill and Rain are classy downtempo numbers. The latter is especially evocative with its liquid guitar and sparkly vocal from Bokang Ramatlapeng.

Soweto Sunrise is a sultry beauty, but if anything Bakulindele is even better with its punchy organ riff and meditative vocal. Qiniseka, meanwhile, is magnificently brooding, and the rolling beats and cool keyboards of Part Two prove the ideal match.

Does it all work?

It does – the quality threshold is extremely high throughout!

Is it recommended?

Very much. Quality oozes from every pore of this record, which will up the winter temperature with its hot weather grooves and winsome, soulful vocals. Highly recommended!

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,757 – Tuesday 23 December 2025