Schoenberg was one of the most revolutionary & challenging composers, but his early works are among the most lyrical & romantic pieces ever written. Mahler’s heart-rending Adagietto needs little introduction and is regularly in the Top 40 of Classic FM’s annual Hall of Fame, while Schoenberg’s impassioned Transfigured Night is a musical realisation of a Richard Dehmel poem, in which a young woman confesses to her betrothed that she bears another man’s child, conceived before they met. His acceptance of her, and resolve to raise the baby as theirs, is one of the most touching moments in classical music.

English Symphony Orchestra Residency: Schoenberg, Mahler, Elgar, Taylor & Copland

Cheltenham Town Hall

Join one of London’s foremost young professional orchestras in a celebration of two of Britain’s finest composers, Sir Malcom Arnold and Matthew Taylor. Arnold’s music was renowned for its amazing humour and emotional warmth – qualities that radiate through Matthew’s music in abundance. In the year of Matthew’s 60th birthday, we show our gratitude for Matthew’s dedication to continuing the British symphonic tradition by performing his latest symphony, commissioned by the Malcom Arnold Trust in 2021.

Matthew Taylor’s 60th Birthday Concert

Smith Square Hall

### Event Description: Stephen Stirling - London - Academy of St Martin in the Fields

**Date:** 7 September 2023  
**Location:** St Martin-in-the-Fields, London

Join us for an enchanting evening of music as the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) celebrates the versatility and emotional depth of the French horn. This special concert will feature the world premiere of Matthew Taylor's Horn Concerto No.2, performed by the renowned horn player Stephen Stirling, who inspired the piece.

**Programme Highlights:**

- **Grieg:** Holberg Suite
- **Matthew Taylor:** Horn Concerto No.2 (World Premiere)
- **Philip Herbert:** Elegy: In Memoriam Stephen Lawrence
- **Shaw:** Entr’acte: A Minuet & Trio
- **Haydn:** Symphony in Eb major No.22 "Philosopher"

Matthew Taylor’s imaginative Horn Concerto No.2 channels the styles of Haydn and Arnold, featuring a singing allegro, a rollicking finale, and a delicate intermezzo with shades of Brahms. The final movement, an animated conversation piece for horn, oboe, and cor Anglais, promises to entertain with its playful, Laurel-and-Hardy-esque sign-off. This concerto, written for Stephen Stirling, reflects his poetic horn playing and will intrigue and entertain in equal measure.

The concert also includes Haydn’s "Philosopher" Symphony, where the horns play a prominent role in a unique orchestration debate with the cor Anglais.

**Don't miss this opportunity to experience a night of captivating music and the world premiere of a remarkable new work.**

**Tickets:** Available for purchase now.

Matthew Taylor

Events

Past events

May 22, 2026

English Symphony Orchestra Residency: Schoenberg, Mahler, Elgar, Taylor & Copland · English Symphony Orchestra

Nov 22, 2024

Matthew Taylor’s 60th Birthday Concert · Sinfonia Smith Square

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