Online: English Symphony Orchestra perform Elgar, arr. David Matthews

Under the programme title, 'Elgar Reimagined', David Matthews’ string orchestra adaptation of the Elgar String Quartet was made at the instigation of George Vass, and premiered at the 2010 Presteigne Festival. Conductor Kenneth Woods worked closely with Matthews on the work ahead of a performance at the 2017 Colorado MahlerFest, and the English Symphony Orchestra first performed the work at the 2018 Elgar Festival.

“David’s arrangement is an important and very useful addition to the Elgar repertoire for string orchestras,” says Woods. “Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro and Serenade for Strings are among the most sublime works ever written for strings, but both risk being heard too often. The Quartet is a bigger work, a more difficult work, and a more substantial work, and forms a major new challenge for string orchestras everywhere. It was so exciting to come to this piece and to continue to develop our shared interpretation of it.”

This digital concert forms part of the Music from Wyastone Studio Concert series, recorded during lockdown. Access is free for four days via the English Symphony Orchestra's website, and afterwards via the ESO Digital archive alongside other concerts in the series.