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.
In the 2025/26 season, Sir Antonio Pappano will continue his focus on British music as he embarks on his second season as LSO Chief Conductor, continuing his Vaughan Williams cycle with the ‘London’ Symphony alongside stirring works by Elgar and Britten.
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’ soundtrack to the sci-fi film Things to Come (1936) as well as Vaughan Williams’ 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). Sir 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
I’m going to be putting a very strong accent on British music with the LSO.
Sir Antonio Pappano
The LSO and British Music
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
Explore More
Coming Up
Britten and Shostakovich
Sir Antonio Pappano and Janine Jansen
Sunday 21 September 2025 • 7pm
Violinist Janine Jansen showcases Britten’s soulful concerto before the LSO launches into Shostakovich’s scathing criticism of Stalin, his Tenth Symphony.
Sibelius, Ruders, Paxton and Adès
Thomas Adès and Sean Shibe
Sunday 19 October 2025 • 7pm
Thomas Adès leads the LSO in Poul Ruders' kaleidoscopic Second Guitar Concerto, with soloist Sean Shibe, Sibelius’ rich, evocative Third Symphony, a UK premiere by Alex Paxton, and Adès' own Aquifer.
Music from the North
Thomas Adès and Johan Dalene
Thursday 23 October 2025 • 7pm
Thomas Adès leads us through the shimmering sounds of Sibelius and Rautavaara, with soloist Johan Dalene, and conjures magical images in his own evocation of a Celtic legend.
Soweto Kinch: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
Thursday 13 November 2025 • 8pm
Saxophonist, rapper and composer Soweto Kinch presents the final instalment of a trilogy of works in collaboration with the LSO.
Tchaikovsky and Vaughan Williams
Antoine Tamestit: Spotlight Artist
Sunday 7 December 2025 • 7pm
Sir Antonio Pappano conducts Tchaikovsky’s powerful Fourth Symphony and Vaughan Williams’ pastoral beauty. Antoine Tamestit’s spellbinding viola and the London Symphony Chorus elevate the experience.
Half Six Fix: Vaughan Williams
Sir Antonio Pappano
Wednesday 10 December 2025 • 6.30pm
Kick-start your evening with this 60-minute Half Six Fix concert, showcasing two contemplative works by Vaughan Williams. Introduced by the performers, with screens in the hall to bring you closer to the action.
Musgrave, Walton and Vaughan Williams
Antoine Tamestit: Spotlight Artist
Thursday 11 December 2025 • 7pm
Thea Musgrave paints with radiant colours, Walton gives flight to the viola, and Vaughan Williams dreams of London in this concert, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano.
Colin Matthews and Rachmaninoff
Elim Chan and Olivier Stankiewicz
Sunday 8 February 2026 • 7pm
Elim Chan conducts a world premiere by Colin Matthews with LSO’s Olivier Stankiewicz as soloist, Bartók’s vibrant Dance Suite, and Rachmaninoff’s sweeping orchestral masterpiece.
Holst, Korngold and Shostakovich
Sir Antonio Pappano and Vilde Frang
Thursday 16 April 2026 • 7pm
The exceptional Vilde Frang performs Korngold's sweeping and cinematic Violin Concerto whilst Shostakovich’s Fifth unleashes its big tunes and white-hot intensity.
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
Sir Antonio Pappano
Sunday 19 April 2026 • 7pm
Sir Antonio Pappano, the LSO, and the London Symphony Chorus bring Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius to life – a powerful oratorio filled with drama, beauty, angels and demons.
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
Sir Antonio Pappano
Tuesday 21 April 2026 • 7pm
Sir Antonio Pappano, the LSO, and the London Symphony Chorus bring Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius to life—a powerful oratorio filled with drama, beauty, angels and demons.
Half Six Fix: Enigma Variations
Sir Antonio Pappano
Wednesday 10 June 2026 • 6.30pm
Sir Antonio Pappano guides the audience through Elgar's 'Enigma' Variations, exploring its tender portraits of family members and the unsolved mystery at its core.
Elgar and Mahler
Sir Antonio Pappano
Thursday 11 June 2026 • 7pm
Sir Antonio Pappano and the LSO journey from darkness to light in Mahler's rapturous Fifth Symphony, alongside Elgar's Enigma Variations.
