Here are two very contrasting twentieth-century masterpieces: Vaughan Williams’ universally-beloved evocation of an English summer, with its lark and its country fair; and Britten’s brilliant and heartfelt portrait of his musical mentor Frank Bridge, with variations showing ‘his humour’ ‘his integrity’ ‘his enthusiasm’ and so on. The mix is seasoned with Purcell’s majestic Rondo, made famous in Britten’s Young Person’s Guide, and rousing instrumental arrangements of sprightly folktunes and some of the finest popular songwriting.

Purcell Rondo from Abdelazer | Celtic traditional music | Finzi Romance from Five Bagatelles, op.23 | Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending | Britten Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge | Arrangements of songs by Radiohead, Sting, and Pink Floyd

Every year the Oxford Chamber Music Festival brings together some of the most exciting classical musicians in Europe to live and play together for a week. Creative sparks fly as the musicians change musical partners and master the widest variety of sound-worlds.

This year’s festival celebrates the infinite variety of music from the British Isles, across four centuries and four nations: from Celtic folk influences to English pastoral; from Renaissance fantasy to Radiohead; from the internationally-celebrated Vaughan Williams, Elgar and Britten to hidden treasures and exciting finds by composers you may not even have heard of – yet!