English String Orchestra

Originally established as the English String Orchestra, the performing group later expanded into a second identity as the English Symphony Orchestra; both entities represent the same ensemble and share the abbreviation ESO. Their designation evokes an idea of Englishness rather than any official national or governmental status. Headquartered in Worcester, the musicians have consistently highlighted connections to the surrounding rural landscape.

The English String Orchestra came into being first, created by conductor William Boughton in Malvern in 1974. After relocating its base to Worcester, the ensemble concentrated on pastoral string repertoire while underscoring its countryside heritage. Over time the programming broadened to encompass more works involving brass and wind instruments. Boughton introduced larger-scale compositions by Bax, Bridge, and Elgar that recalled the expansive approach of the Enigma Variations, prompting the adoption of the English Symphony Orchestra name in 1984. The earlier designation nevertheless remained in use for purely string-based material, including a 1988 Nimbus recording of Mendelssohn’s complete String Symphonies. For several years the English String Orchestra identity receded while the English Symphony Orchestra built wider recognition through performances led by Yehudi Menuhin, Vernon Handley, and, beginning in 2013, Kenneth Woods. The original name resurfaced on reissues and occasionally appeared alongside the newer title, as on a 2017 Signum Classics album of music by Philip Sawyers. By the late 2010s the English String Orchestra had resumed regular touring and recording activities under its founding designation.

The ensemble has released recordings on Nimbus, Signum Classics, and additional labels. In 2017 it joined the English Symphony Orchestra in launching the 21st Century Symphony Project, an initiative intended to document nine new symphonies by nine composers. One of the first outcomes was a 2019 Signum Classics release featuring David Matthews’s Symphony No. 9 along with other works, again issued under both names. That same year the English String Orchestra presented The Art of Dancing on Signum Classics, an album containing pieces by Nimrod Borenstein, Deborah Pritchard, Geoffrey Gordon, and Toby Young.