Simon Dobson’s atmospheric and moving, ‘Penlee’ has come 106th in the 2011 Hall of Fame vote, held by the leading national radio station, Classic FM.

Listeners were asked to vote on the top 300 pieces of music that will gain extended airtime during the coming year.

Loss

Simon’s work depicts the loss of the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne and all its crew in trying to save the lives of the crew of the Union Star ship off the coat of Cornwall on the 19th December 1981.

Good company

With support from the banding movement the work ended up in illustrious company, perched between John Williams with ‘Schindlers List’ and Tchaikovsky with ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

The top entry was Rachmaninov’s ‘Piano Concerto No 2’, although there was a tenuous brass band link in Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar, who both wrote test pieces for the medium coming in 2nd, 3rd, 7th and 8th.

I don’t really ever see myself as a Classic FM kind of composer, but I'm not going to complain! In fact, I’m pretty stoked. Apparently 'Penlee' was the highest new entry of any genre! Sweeeeeet!Simon Dobson

Pretty stoked

Simon, who is currently on his way to Montruex to hear the world premiere of his new work, ‘A Symphony of Colours’ was understandably delighted when he spoke to 4BR:

"To say I’m very pleased is an understatement. I don’t really ever see myself as a Classic FM kind of composer, but I'm not going to complain! In fact, I’m pretty stoked. Apparently 'Penlee' was the highest new entry of any genre! Sweeeeeet!"

For the full Classic FM list go to:
http://halloffame2011.classicfm.co.uk/Top300/Penlee