Behind the music
List of News Articles
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Unfinished symphonies
15 December 2025
Your starter for ten: besides Schubert, who has an unfinished symphony to their name?![]()
Andrew Manze: "I've always loved Viennese waltzes and polkas"
1 December 2025
Our Principal Guest Conductor is really looking forward to conducting our Viennese New Year concerts!![]()
The medieval carol
24 November 2025
For this year's Christmas article, we look back at some very early festive carols ...![]()
A history of the orchestral concert
17 November 2025
Is there such a thing as a standard concert format? Join us as we dive into the history of programming ...![]()
Maximiliano Martín: "A friend said 'Gnarly Buttons would suit you very well'"
10 November 2025
Ahead of his performance of John Adams' Gnarly Buttons, we spoke to our Principal Clarinet about performing as soloist with the Orchestra.![]()
Quickfire Questions with Kenneth Henderson
7 November 2025
Get to know our new Principal Horn!![]()
Beyond the Sugar Plum Fairy: a short introduction to the celeste
3 November 2025
The celeste has gone in unexpected directions since Tchaikovsky encapsulated its sound in his ballet The Nutcracker ...![]()
Musical hoaxes
27 October 2025
Dishonesty among classical composers? Surely not!![]()
Figaro beyond Mozart (and Rossini)
20 October 2025
Where does Jonathan Dove's 'Figures in the Garden' fit in with the Figaro story?![]()
Not quite a symphony: the sinfonietta, divertimento and serenade
13 October 2025
Our series on the symphony takes a slight detour to look at those works which don't quite make the grade.![A marimba seen sideways on from a low angle, with Colin Currie just visible behind it]()
An introduction to keyboard percussion instruments
6 October 2025
Can you tell the difference between a vibraphone and a xylophone?![]()
Mozart and the development of the piano concerto
29 September 2025
How one composer almost single-handedly raised the piano concerto to unprecedented heights











