Here’s a book I enjoyed. Why Handel Waggled His Wig is a about six great composers written for children by the brilliant cellist, Steven Isserlis. It follows on from his equally fun-style Why Beethoven Threw The Stew.

Isserlis is a great cellist and he writes as he plays, boldly and brassily. We are told his pieces have been examined for authenticity by a team of eminent musicologists. Was that really necessary?

The composers in Handel’s Wig are: Handel, Haydn, Dvorak, Schubert, Faure and Tchaikovsky. Plenty of variation and eccentricity there.

Kate Kellerway writes for Guardian Unlimited: “From the moment I started this book, I was entertained and laughing aloud. If, like Handel, I had an enormous white wig with which to react, I would definitely be waggling it enthusiastically right now. Steven Isserlis is a gifted cellist, but there is no reason at all to assume that he can, therefore, write. But this is the thing; as a writer, he turns out to be a natural, although not exactly normal.”

The book is published by Faber.

Some songs do live forever … or at least in human terms. It’s surprising how many of them come from opera.

Of all operatic arias, the one that truly escaped the clutches of the aficionado, and became a popular favourite, was Puccini’s dramatic song from Turandot, Nessun Dorma.

Although it has remained a classic of “easy listening” radio, it achieved pop status by being the theme for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, when it was memorably sung by Luciano Pavarotti, still in his pomp. It has also appeared in modern films, like Toys, The Witches of Eastwick, and an array of others.

The aria translates as, “And None Shall Sleep”. It was part of Giancomo Puccini’s last opera, Turandot, which remained unfinished. It was premiered in 1926 at La Scala, Milan.

Puccini nearly died in a car crash in 1904 as a result of his passion for fast cars. He had already completed the works by which he is best known : La Boheme, Tosca and Madame Butterfly.

Nessun Dorma is from the final act of Turandot. Other parts were in sketch form only and were completed by composer, Franco Alfano.

Puccini was fighting throat cancer, caused by heavy cigar smoking, while writing Turandot. Despite the use of radiotherapy — then a new technique — Puccini died of a heart attack from complications on November 29, 1924.

His work lives on, however, and Nessun Dorma is being played somewhere on the world’s radio stations round the clock.

No, that doesn’t refer to the BBC’s latest classic serial Lark Rise at Candleford, but to Vaughan Williams’s famous piece The Lark Ascending, which topped Classic FM’s listeners’ poll for their favourite piece of music.

It was Ralph VW’s year, for he also came third with his more substantial work Fantasies on a Theme of Thomas Tallis.

Half a century after his death, the British composer’s 1914 programme piece of a lark singing over the English countryside took the number one spot in the Hall of Fame for the second year in a row.

More than 100,000 Classic FM listeners voted in the survey.

Darren Henley of Classic FM said: “The British public has spoken and declared Vaughan Williams their champion. In the 50 years since his death, Vaughan Williams has cemented his position as among the best-loved English composers of all time.”

At number two was Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, while Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto and Sixth Symphony took fourth and fifth place.

The full Top 20 :

1. Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
2. Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No 2
3. Vaughan Williams – Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
4. Beethoven – Piano Concerto No 5
5. Beethoven – Symphony No 6
6. Mozart – Clarinet Concerto
7. Elgar – Cello Concerto
8. Bruch – Violin Concerto No 1
9. Elgar – Enigma Variations
10. Beethoven – Symphony No 9
11. Pachelbel – Canon
12. Barber – Adagio for Strings
13. Jenkins – The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace
14. Vivaldi – Four Seasons
15. Rachmaninov – Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini
16. Holst – The Planets
17. Grieg – Piano Concerto
18. Tchaikovsky – 1812 Overture
19. Mozart – Requiem
20. Handel – Messiah.

In the previous post we reported how young violinist David Garrett fell on his priceless 18th-century fiddle after a Barbican concert, breaking it almost beyond repair.

The instrument was so badly damaged that even with an estimated £60,000 ($120,000) repair bill, the Guadagnini — which cost him $1million five years ago — may never sound the same again.

Now has had some unexpected luck. Copies of his album of Tchaikovsky’s violin concertos, which feature the last recordings of the violin, are changing hands for up to £425 ($850) on Amazon.

Before the accident, the DVD was selling for just £10 ($20).

As they say, it’s an ill wind …

Even so, I doubt it compensates for the loss of such a rare violin.