He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1976 for his services to music.
Married soprano Alison Purves at Kensington in February 1947.
Gained a reputation for writing good film scores very quickly. Scored
The Pickwick Papers (1952) in eleven days.
Still living at the Hertfordshire cottage purchased by
his adoptive father Major Tom Hopkins in 1932. (August 2004)
He was also known for his books on musical analysis, notably 'Talking About Symphonies', and an autobiography called 'Beating Time'.
Educated at Berkhamsted and later at the Royal College of Music, where he won two of the college's top awards - the Chappell Gold Medal for piano and the Cobbett Prize for composition.
Presented the BBC Radio 3 programme 'Talking About Music' for more than 36 years.