English Symphony Orchestra

Love to play Elgar? As part of the 2026 Elgar Festival, we’re once more welcoming amateur musicians from all over the country for a day of rehearsals and an informal performance in Malvern.  This year we turn to two of Elgar’s most loved and challenging overtures.

From an orchestral player’s perspective, Elgar’s ‘In the South’ (Alassio) is a thrilling but demanding showcase that captures the composer’s vivid impressions of the Italian landscape. The piece features everything from the famous viola solo depicting a shepherd’s song to brilliant brass fanfares and shimmering string passages, requiring both technical virtuosity and stamina—particularly in the strings, who barely get a moment’s rest through its roughly 20-minute duration.

Come and Play Elgar’s ‘In The South’ and ‘Froissart’