Antony Hopkins is a composer, pianist, conductor, broadcaster, author, lecturer and piano-recitalist - he sometimes calls himself a ‘sort of musical odd-job man’, since throughout his professional career he has claimed to be able to produce what has been asked for – often at short notice. An inherited gift for

music meant that he went to the Royal College of Music in 1939 where, after a wasted first year, he began to study with Cyril Smith. To everyone’s surprise he won two of the top awards – the Chappell Gold Medal for piano and the Cobbett Prize for composition. It was soon found that he had an unusual

gift for incidental music and numerous commissions followed for radio, theatre and cinema. His broadcasts, Talking about Music, were spread intermittently over 36 years and were heard worldwide through the BBC Transcription Service. This led to a number of books.

These CDs show some of the wide variety of his music, ranging from mere morsels for recorder to more extensive sonatas and songs. They were entirely conceived and organised by John Turner, the noted recorder-player: it was only fair that his virtuosity should be largely featured. Also included are eight

short pieces by other composers, written as tributes to Antony on his 90th birthday in March 2011 – mostly as a response to his influential broadcasts when they were young. The theme from Warlock’s Capriol Suite, (“Pieds en l’Air”) was included as one of the tunes he declared he most loved.

The release of this CD has only been possible with the generous support of a huge number of individuals spanning the worlds of performance, broadcasting and musical appreciation – a “Who’s Who” of those who have been influenced over the years by the multi-faceted talents of this fascinating character.

Artists

Michael Hampton (piano), Matthew Jones (viola), James Gilchrist (tenor), Janet Simpson (piano), Paul Barritt (violin), Philip Fowke (piano), John Turner (recorder), Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), Stephanie Voss (vocals), Phillida Sewell (soprano), Jeremy Brett (tenor), Antony Hopkins (piano), Stephen Manton (tenor), Eric Shilling (bass-baritone), Elizabeth Boyd (vocals)