British Music
Videos, interviews, articles and more exploring British music.
Ever since our first concert in 1904, the LSO has proudly championed the work of British composers. From Sir Edward Elgar to Sir James MacMillan, the orchestra has premiered some of the most notable works the country has produced over the last century.
This season, Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano puts British music at the forefront of our season. Alongside the continuation of his Ralph Vaughan-Williams’ symphony cycle and much-loved concertos from Elgar, we also welcome new music from Mark-Antony Turnage, a moving oratorio by Michael Tippett and a world premiere from Sir George Benjamin to celebrate Sir Simon Rattle’s 70th birthday.
I’m going to be putting a very strong accent on British music with the LSO
Sir Antonio Pappano
British music fell into a long decline after the death of Henry Purcell in 1695, prompting one German critic to label Britain as ‘the land without music’. When a British musical renaissance finally came, at the turn into the 20th century, the LSO was ready to help it blossom. The orchestra performed Edward Elgar’s famous ‘Enigma’ Variations at its very first concert, on 4 June 1904. The composer became chief conductor of the LSO in 1911–12, and in 1919 he conducted the orchestra in the first performance of his heartfelt Cello Concerto. The association continued for the rest of his life: in January 1934, just a month before his death, Elgar supervised an LSO recording of his works from his sick bed in Worcester via a special link to the recording studio in London.
In 1920, it was the LSO that gave the first complete public performance of Gustav Holst’s astrological suite The Planets. William Walton’s biblical cantata Belshazzar’s Feast came in 1931 and, by the time the orchestra had premiered another milestone of British music – Benjamin Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, in 1946 – it had recorded Arthur Bliss’s soundtrack to the sci-fi film Things to Come (1936) as well as Vaughan Williams’s score for the war drama 49th Parallel (1941). Malcolm Arnold’s music for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) was among the many other film scores to follow.
Successive LSO conductors have worked hard to cast off the image of Britain as the ‘land without music’, not least André Previn (Principal Conductor, 1968–79) and Richard Hickox (Associate Conductor, 1985–2008). Colin Davis (Principal Conductor, 1995–2006) was a passionate supporter of Sir Michael Tippett, premiering his Concerto for Orchestra (1963), Symphony No. 3 (1972) and Triple Concerto (1980) with the LSO.
Sir Simon Rattle (Music Director, 2017–23) gave premieres of pieces by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Helen Grime and Emily Howard among others; and, since taking up the role of Chief Conductor in 2024, Sir Antonio Pappano has embarked on a fresh cycle of Vaughan Williams symphonies. ‘What I love about English music in general,’ Pappano says, ‘is that it reveals such a depth of character, which is a little bit at odds with the cliché of the Englishman, frankly. This music sings, and has anguish and beauty and romance. And it soars, it has tranquillity and agitation.’
By Edward Bhesania
Read about British music and the LSO
Interview with Sir Antonio Pappano
As he starts a new chapter as Chief Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano tells us more about his background, influences, and what it’s like to conduct the LSO.
What you should know about Ralph Vaughan Williams
Discover the life of Ralph Vaughan Williams, the quintessential British composer, known for his evocative symphonies, folk music collecting and enduring legacy.
Sir James MacMillan and the LSO
After the world premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra on 11 September, we look back on three decades of collaboration with Sir James MacMillan.
Listen to British Music with the LSO
Hear More about British Composers
Coming Up
MacMillan and Shostakovich 12
Gianandrea Noseda and Nicola Benedetti
Thursday 3 April 2025 • 7pm
James MacMillan's dedicatee Nicola Benedetti performs his Violin Concerto No 2 and Principal Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda conducts Shostakovich Symphony No 12.
Limited Tickets
