John Whitfield has a life-long love of Haydn. This arrangement is a homage to that love.

He says "with Mozart the next note is always the right one, whereas with Haydn the next note is often a delicious surprise!"

As a performer John played bassoon and conducted the group he formed, Endymion Ensemble. The works of Haydn, much cherished by performing musicians, became even more familiar as he played many of Haydn's symphonies as principal bassoonist with the Israel Chamber Orchestra and then the London Mozart Players in the 1980s.

In the 1990s John studied with and assisted the conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, himself a renowned arranger.