Previn and Little hit right note at awards

Andre Previn was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at one of classical music's most respected awards ceremonies today.

The 79-year-old, a former principal conductor of both the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic, received the accolade at the Classic FM Gramophone Awards at the Dorchester Hotel.

Previn, whose five ex-wives include actress Mia Farrow and renowned violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, is also remembered for a 1971 spoof performance on the Morecambe and Wise show.

He was named among many of today's most popular classical performers at the ceremony. British pianist Stephen Hough won Gramophone Gold Disc for the most popular recording of the past three decades. His complete works of Saint-Saëns beat classic recordings by the likes of Herbert von Karajan.

Also honoured was British violinist Tasmin Little for innovation in releasing her latest album, The Naked Violin, free on the internet to attract more people to classical music.

The full list of winners will be published in Gramophone magazine.