Welsh composer makes history as music tops worldwide chart

A piece of music by a Welsh composer highlighting the terror and tragedy of war has topped the world's largest annual classical music survey.

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, by Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins, was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Nearly 90,000 public votes were cast in this year's chart, with the new number one revealed by presenter Dan Walker on Monday.

Sir Karl, who was born and raised in Penclawdd, Swansea, said it was "gratifying" to be the first living composer to take the top spot.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, he said: "It feels good to be alive and get the prize, rather than to be dead and pick it up. It is strange that that is the case."

Dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo War, the 82-year-old's choral work from 2000 reflects on the devastation of conflict while expressing hope for peace.

"Against the backdrop of current world events, its message remains strikingly relevant, underscoring enduring themes of peace and hope for the future," said Classic FM.

It is also the first choral work to claim the top spot since the poll began in 1996.

The composer also had four other pieces in this year's chart - Adiemus (number 66), Palladio (82), Gloria (191) and Requiem (300).

The Armed Man was originally commissioned in 1998 by various bodies as a mass to mark the millennium, said Sir Karl, adding that it had been performed "globally" 4,000 times since 2000.

"It's a narrative of conflict and war," he said. "It begins with peace and preparation for war and for conflict, the reflection after this, then hoping for a better future.

"But that, of course, never happened. And here we are 25 years later in the midst of all this mess globally, so, that was one side.

"The other side is, I like to think there's some reason to it, that the music appeals and is memorable."

Over the years, Sir Karl said many people have told him how the piece has supported them through difficult times.

"It's still as relevant today, the message, as it was 25 years ago," he said. "It's moved a lot of people.

"I get a lot of messages from people who are ill and who are dying, people with some trauma in their life, who have told me about the support the music has given them."

This year's poll also highlighted the growing influence of film music, with a record 40 entries, said Classic FM.

Howard Shore's score for The Lord of the Rings sits at number eight, the highest ranking for a film soundtrack in the chart's history, while John Williams' music for Schindler's List appears at number 13.

The 2026 chart includes 65 entries by living composers, including Hans Zimmer, Rachel Portman and Ludovico Einaudi, reflecting the growing appeal of contemporary classical music.

Despite Jenkins' historic success, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart remains the most represented composer overall, with 12 works in the chart.

Sir Karl said he was mindful of the musical giants alongside him.

He said: "The poll is a popularity poll and I'm not even contemplating the fact that there are all these geniuses behind me in the list, from Mozart to Beethoven and John Williams even. In that sense, it is gratifying."