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Ben Hogwood
Ben studied music at the University of Surrey, where he also gained an appreciation for pop and electronic music from the 1970s and beyond. He reflects these dual interests on a dedicated website, Arcana, and in contributions for musicOMH. Meanwhile in an online project called Good Morning Britten he appraised the composer’s complete works throughout his centenary year in 2013. Ben plays cello in a band and enjoys running and football, while working full time to secure broadcast royalties for record labels and musicians.
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Hungarian Pictures
15th Jul 2026
Ben explores a treasure-trove of vintage Bartók, Liszt, Kodály and Dohnányi from János Ferencsik and György Lehel on Eloquence.
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Hungarian Pictures
János Ferencsik, György Lehel
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HK Gruber on Kurt Weill and more
9th Jun 2026
The Austrian composer, conductor and chansonnier discusses his recent album Dancing on a Volcano (made on tour with Ensemble Modern for the ensemble’s own label) and his own music, including the Piano Concerto written for Emmanuel Ax.
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Contemporary Music Round-Up - Spring 2026
5th May 2026
In our latest round-up of contemporary music releases, Ben celebrates Michael Finnissy's eightieth birthday and explores albums devoted to the music of Huw Watkins, Unsuk Chin, John Casken, Augusta Read Thomas and Morton Feldman.
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Pēteris Vasks at 80
16th Apr 2026
The Latvian composer (whose big birthday falls today) looks back over the past nine decades, reflecting on some of the musicians who have shaped his work and the inspiration which he draws from nature and his faith.
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Michael Finnissy at 80
17th Mar 2026
On his eightieth birthday, the English composer talks to our contemporary music guest-contributor about his student days at the Royal College of Music, drawing inspiration from country hedgerows, and why he's 'still amazed by Verdi'...
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Boston Symphony Chamber Players: The Deutsche Grammophon Recordings
5th Mar 2026
Our guest-writer explores a rich anthology of studio recordings from the 1970s, with highlights including a starrily-cast account of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale, Second Viennese School arrangements of Johann Strauss II, and treasurable Debussy with a young Michael Tilson Thomas as pianist.
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Marc-André Hamelin on Found Objects/Sound Objects
30th Dec 2025
The Canadian pianist discusses his recent album of music by Frank Zappa, John Cage, Yehudi Wyner and others, his own approach to writing for the piano, and the composer who will be the focus of a upcoming 'long-range project'...
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Contemporary Music Round-Up - Winter 2025
18th Dec 2025
In our latest round-up of contemporary music releases, Ben celebrates the work of two nonagenarians, explores the colour spectrum through the orchestra, enjoys pictorial British chamber music, and find the twenty-first-century symphony to be in rude health.
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David Matthews & Jac van Steen on their musical friendship
2nd Dec 2025
The British composer and Dutch conductor discuss their various collaborations over the last three decades, including a new album of Matthews's Symphony No. 11, Flute Concerto and Symphonic Diptych from the opera Anna (released last month on SOMM).
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The Pavel Haas Quartet on Martinů
29th Sep 2025
Violinist Veronika Jarůšková and cellist Peter Jarůšek discuss how the composer's music featured in their first meeting as children on a TV talent show, Martinů's relationship with fellow composer Vítězslava Kaprálová, and surmounting the technical challenges of music that is 'almost impossible to play'.
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Martinů: String Quartets Nos. 2-3-5-7
Pavel Haas Quartet
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David Atherton – Vienna: From Mozart to Schoenberg
30th Jul 2025
Our contemporary music guest-writer explores a 13-disc anthology of recordings from the London Sinfonietta, including the group's 1974 debut on Decca with Schoenberg's complete works for chamber ensemble.
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Susan Narucki on György Kurtág
15th Jul 2025
In the wake of her acclaimed recording of the mercurial Kafka Fragments with violinist Curtis Macomber (released on Avie at the end of last month), the American soprano discusses her forty-year musical relationship with the Hungarian composer.
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CRD at 50
30th Jun 2025
Siblings Tom and Emma Pauncefort join Presto to talk about taking the reins of the family label started by their father Graham, which is currently celebrating a half century of releasing music.
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Contemporary Music Round-Up - Spring 2025
11th Jun 2025
In this round-up of contemporary releases from the first months of 2025, we look at the keyboard through new eyes, take to the stage for twenty-first-century opera suites, encounter exciting piano concertos for the first time, and hear the viola in a whole new light.
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Dr Susan Lim on Cosmic Rhapsody
14th May 2025
The surgeon and scientist discusses the second instalment of the ALAN Trilogy (created with composer Manu Martin and librettist Christina Teenz Tan), which was premiered at the Barbican last month and recently released on Decca with Jean-Yves Thibaudet as soloist.
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Aulis Sallinen at 90
30th Apr 2025
In the wake of his ninetieth birthday earlier this month, the Finnish composer talks to Ben Hogwood about how his style has changed over the decades - and why he's enjoying life at ‘tempo molto sostenuto’ in semi-retirement.
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Tom Coult on Pieces That Disappear
17th Feb 2025
The British composer discusses the inspirations behind the works on his debut album, released on NMC at the end of last year and including the violin concerto Pleasure Garden (written for Coult's friend Daniel Pioro).
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ECM's New Series at 40
13th Jan 2025
To mark the pioneering series's recent fortieth birthday, Ben Hogwood selects some landmarks from the catalogue - including recordings of music by Arvo Pärt, Alfred Schnittke, Steve Reich and György Kurtág.
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Arvo Pärt: Tabula Rasa
Gidon Kremer (violin), Tatjana Grindenko (violin), Alfred Schnitte (prepared piano), Keith Jarrett (piano), 12 cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Saulus Sondeskis, Dennis Russell Davis
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Gavin Bryars on the Ivors and Innovation
23rd Dec 2024
In the wake of winning the Ivors Academy's Innovation Award last month, the Yorkshire-born composer and double bassist speaks to Ben Hogwood about writing for stage and screen, the inspiration which he draws from the visual arts and early music, and why (at the grand old age of 81) he has no plans to slow down any time soon...
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Gavin Bryars: The Sinking of the Titanic
Philip Jeck (improvising turntablist), Quartet I: Nick Barr, Morgan Goff (viola), Nick Cooper (cello), Gavin Bryars (double bass), Quartet II: Alexandra Maria Tchernakova (viola), Orlanda Bryars (cello), Ziella Bryars (cello), Yuri Bryars (double bass), Roger Heaton (bass clarinet), Dave Smith (tenor horn, keyboard, woodblocks), James Woodrow (electric guitar), Martin Allen (percussion)
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Colin Matthews on NMC
5th Nov 2024
As the contemporary music label celebrates its 35th birthday with an album of works by Imogen Holst, its founder Colin Matthews reflects on their friendship, NMC's legacy and ongoing work, and the challenges and rewards involved in promoting new voices today.
