Tag Archives: Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

In appreciation: John Wallace

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by Ben Hogwood Picture courtesy of Wikipedia / Thechisholm

Last week we heard the sad news of the death of trumpeter and conductor John Wallace, at the age of 76. There have been a number of affectionate obituaries for John that refer to his character, musicianship and academic influence among many other positive qualities. Wallace was principal trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1976 to 1995, and along the way blossomed into an international soloist of considerable repute.

In 1981 he played at the wedding of Price Charles and Princess Diana, joining soprano Kiri te Kanawa in a performance of Handel’s Let The Bright Seraphim:

He also formed The Wallace Collection in 1986, an influential brass ensemble whose flexible approach brought brass music to new audiences. Several composers wrote for Wallace, among them Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sir Malcolm Arnold, Sir James MacMillan and Robert Saxton.

Arcana has put together a playlist in honour of John Wallace, featuring the concertos written by Arnold and Maxwell Davies, along with the latter’s Litany for a Ruined Chapel between Sheep and Shore, written for Wallace to perform solo in 1999.

Wallace also features as soloist in Haydn’s much-loved Trumpet Concerto, Prayer of St Gregory by Alan Hovhaness and a commanding performance by the Wallace Collection of Berlioz’s Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale. There is also a pop nugget, Wallace playing piccolo trumpet on The Alan Parsons Project’s Don’t Let It Show, from the album I Robot.

Listen, enjoy, and appreciate the ability of a wonderful player whose presence will be greatly missed

In appreciation: John Wallace

Published post no.2,774 – Wednesday 21 January 2026

In appreciation – Elgar Howarth

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by Ben Hogwood

This week we have learned the sad news of the death of Elgar Howarth at the age of 89.

Howarth was a master of many disciplines, as this detailed obituary on the brass website 4barsrest outlines. Not only was he an inspired trumpet player, especially with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, but he was a fine composer and arranger for brass band and an outstanding conductor of music old and new. As a regular conductor of the London Sinfonietta he forged close musical relationships begun in Manchester with the likes of Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Alexander Goehr.

The playlist below attempts to recognise Howarth’s achievements as a player, arranger and conductor, with a wide range of music from Gibbons and Handel to Maxwell Davies and Birtwistle, via Sousa and Copland. Do give it a listen!

Published post no.2,413 – Wednesday 15 January 2025

In appreciation: Coralie Hogwood

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by Ben Hogwood, editor

Here is a personal blog for Saturday 22 July – as on this day, my mother Coralie would have been 80 years old.

I owe my mum and dad a huge debt of gratitude, not just for bringing me up in the way they did but for playing music to me when I was young, and encouraging my love of classical music (they didn’t know about the prog rock and techno until a good deal later!)

As a thank you to Mum, who we still miss greatly, I have picked out some of her favourite classical pieces. She loved guitar music, and few pieces made her smile more than Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, with its bright first movement:

Another fresh-faced favourite was Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet, a set work that she studied at ‘O’ level but one that stayed with her:

Scotland held a special place in Mum’s heart, and while her favourite places were Oban and Mull, one piece that never failed to move was the wonderful Farewell To Stromness by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies:

Happy birthday Mum – and thank you.

Playlist – Sound of Mind 6: Celebrating mothers

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Today is a celebration of mothers.

My own mother Coralie passed on five years ago, but this is a chance to celebrate her musical influence (which I did in written form here)

Here is a selection of her own favourite music, from Mozart‘s Clarinet Quintet – which she studied at college – through to Sibelius, Spanish guitar music, which she had a real fondness for, and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies‘ Farewell to Stromness.

I’m sure you’ll agree there is music here to match the blue skies today brings here in the UK – and it offers a chance to celebrate our mothers, too. Happy listening.

Ben Hogwood

Music for Burns Night

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Here is an Arcana playlist for Burns Night! Made up of Scottish classical music and settings of the poet, it is a mixture of vocal and instrumental music that will hopefully give an idea of the breadth of responses to Robert Burns and his poetry – not to mention his own songwriting. Make sure you serve with haggis, neaps and tatties, and a warming whisky…