President - His Serene Highness Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern
Musical Connections in Bentley.
By Sarah Hard, May 2026.
Farnham Sinfonia charmed the audience with a fascinating programme of mainly Romantic music under the expert direction of Matthew Taylor at Bury Court Barn, Bentley, on May 10th. The concert featured interconnected works ranging from Mozart to Clara Schumann, and showcased some polished and committed string playing.
Highlight of the afternoon was a pairing of Clara and Robert Schumann works, orchestrated by Matthew, featuring solo violin and oboe. A set of three Lieder by Clara, transcribed for violin, were superbly played by soloist Clara-Sophia Wernig, who is only 19 years old. Her beautifully shaped phrasing and heartfelt passion brought out the singing tone of the violin which she communicated effortlessly to an enthralled audience.
Matthew’s addition of harp added richness to the texture supporting the soloist’s soaring, poetic melodies. The words of the Songs were not even missed, such was the projection of this promising young violinist.
Robert Schumann didn’t write an oboe concerto, but Matthew has gone some way to compensating for this omission with his orchestration of the composer’s Three Romances (1849) for piano and oboe. Matthew explained that Schumann had a particular affinity with the oboe, often bestowing the instrument with poignant melodies in his other works, for example in the piano Concerto.
James Turnbull, oboe soloist, gave a masterclass in exploring the technical and expressive possibilities of his instrument. He displayed assured dynamic control, articulation, tone colour and intonation, highlighting its singing, poetic quality. Matthew’s orchestration of the original piano accompaniment, transforming the Romances into a Concertino, employed pizzicato and sometimes syncopated rhythms to evoke an atmospheric ‘painting in music’.
Matthew told the audience he likes ‘connections between music’ and the programme certainly reflected his predilection. Mozart was ‘Sibelius’ God’, Matthew said. The programme kicked off with Sibelius’ Andante Festivo, a popular five-minute tone poem by the Finnish composer with profoundly moving melodies and majestic musical contours reflecting Mozart’s serenity and perfection.
Next, the Sinfonia played Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, written after a period of immersion in the works of J.S. Bach. This rather austere work is dominated by contrapuntal virtuosity without losing Mozart’s characteristic grace and elegance. The Sinfonia showed an assured command of voicing, as the angular and chromatic motifs were passed around the orchestra in the Fugue. Individual string sections coped well with the exposed intonation of this demanding work. Audience members familiar with Mozart’s late Symphonies may have heard parallels with the Sturm und Drang 18th century artistic movement as this surprisingly intense piece moved to a climactic finale.
The conductor once again drew a connection between Elgar and Schumann in their command of the miniature form - their ability to conjure up lyrical imagery with great economy of means. Elgar’s Sospiri, meaning ‘sighs’, did not disappoint. Scored for string orchestra with harp, this near-perfect musical poem lasting five minutes was delivered with confidence and expressive warmth by the Sinfonia.
The concert wrapped up with a firm favourite, Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, which again elicited a stylish performance. The band clearly felt comfortable in a late Romantic, English idiom. Matthew chose a spacious tempo which allowed the full ebb and the flow of the surging string writing to be appreciated. Elgar’s elegiac themes always carry a sense of joy and affirmation – a style of music thoroughly at home is this glorious and bucolic Hampshire setting.
A Sculptor’s Take on Farnham Sinfonia.
By Claire Nelson, March 2026.
A packed house filled St Andrew's Church, Farnham as the spring concert of Farnham Sinfonia began, the audience gathered in anticipation beneath the stone vaults of the church. Suspended above the orchestra were delicate fish sculptures — a quiet reference to St Andrew the fisherman — made by Richard Sharples, their forms catching the light as they floated above the musicians in a subtle dialogue with space, light and meaning, hovering in quiet counterpoint to the music and echoing its movement and rhythm.
The evening opened with an electrifying performance of The Creatures of Prometheus Overture by Ludwig van Beethoven, conducted by Sacha Parker. Dressed in black like the rest of the orchestra, Parker launched the ensemble into the explosive overture with infectious energy. Full of the spirit of creation, awakening and fire, the music ignited the atmosphere
of the church from the very first bars.
Seated unusually close to the orchestra, the experience felt strikingly immediate. The musicians were only a few feet away — close enough to see the concentration on their faces, the quick glances toward the conductor and the physical effort behind each phrase. At times it felt as though one could almost reach out and touch the instruments themselves. This
proximity gave the performance a rare intimacy.
From such proximity one realises that a concert begins long before the first note: the materials of the world are already present. In that church it becomes clear that a performance is not the work of a single evening, but the culmination of centuries of human making. All of it comes from the earth: stone and metal from beneath the ground, wood and animal materials from the living world above it. From these elements human beings create instruments of extraordinary refinement. Behind this moment stands a long lineage of makers and artists across the centuries — the builders and architects who raised the church, the painters and stained-glass artists who coloured its light, the carpenters, metalworkers and textile makers who fashioned its altar, furnishings and fabrics. Then come the craftsmen who shaped the instruments themselves. Finally come the creators of the music: the composers who imagined it, the conductors who shape it, and the musicians who bring it to life — as the orchestra so vividly did that evening.
And of course concerts like this do not happen by themselves. Among those present were the orchestra’s Chair, Diana Martin, and its President, Donatus Prince of Hohenzollern — a reminder that the long chain of makers continues today through those who organise, support and sustain the orchestra.
This was followed by Winter Remembered, a more reflective piece featuring the soloist Vera Edgington under the direction of Matthew Taylor. Edgington’s playing was marked by expressive tone and musical sensitivity, the dark, mellow colour of the viola unfolding beautifully within the resonant space of the church.
The presence in the audience of composer David Matthews, who wrote Winter Remembered, added a special sense of occasion. At the end of the performance he came forward to warmly congratulate the soloist and the conductor.
This was followed by a performance of the Cello Concerto in A minor, Op.129 by Robert Schumann, with soloist Yoel Rubin under the baton of Matthew Taylor. Rubin’s playing was marked by a warm, lyrical tone that suited the concerto’s introspective character, the cello line unfolding with quiet assurance and expressive depth.
The second half of the concert opened and concluded with Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op.36 by Ludwig van Beethoven, its bright energy and rhythmic vitality re-energising the hall.
At the centre of this transformation stood Matthew Taylor. In a cream jacket, black trousers and white shirt, he conducted almost like a mime artist, shaping the music through gesture alone. His movements were expressive, at times expansive, arms carving the air as if sculpting something invisible. His face mirrored the music itself — at times intent and concentrated, at others animated with quick smiles, raised eyebrows and subtle mimics that communicated directly with the musicians. As the music gathered momentum he drew increasing intensity from the orchestra, the players watching him closely for every cue.
The enthusiastic response of the audience made clear that the performance had struck a chord. For a brief time in Farnham, stone, wood, metal, animal hair and human breath aligned, and music seemed almost to rise from the stone itself: a sculpture formed not in space, but in time.
Claire Nelson is a sculptor based in Woking, whose work explores form, material and space.
www.clairenelson.com
A World Class Concert in Farnham – a Memorable Evening with Farnham Sinfonia
His Serene Highness, Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern, October 2025
This past weekend, Farnham Sinfonia delivered an exquisite concert that surpassed all expectations. Held in the heart of Farnham, this 40 piece professional orchestra proved once again that musical brilliance is not confined to the grand halls of London.
From the very first notes of Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, it was clear the audience was in for something special. Performed with clarity, the orchestra’s interpretation revealed the architecture of the piece with a gripping lucidity that rivalled—and in many ways exceeded—performances I heard at Salzburg’s Festspiele and across Europe.
The second movement of Beethoven’s Eroica—the funeral march—was deeply moving and resonated with many in the audience on a personal level. Sibelius and the young virtuoso Sasha Parker were received with great enthusiasm.
Special thanks must go to Julia Wilson (Guest Leader) and to Maestro Matthew Taylor, whose interpretation brought a new experience of familiar works. His ability to illuminate structure and emotion gave the audience a fresh and partly new experience of beloved classics. The short contemporary piece Remembrance from Lloyd Moore was well chosen by Matthew—without melody, the aesthetics of the instrumentation were convincingly beautiful and atmospheric.
It is a great honour to introduce myself as the new President of Farnham Sinfonia. I am deeply privileged to support such a remarkable ensemble, dedicated to bringing outstanding music to the heart of the Farnham community. As a not-for-profit registered charity, Farnham Sinfonia relies on the generosity and involvement of local supporters. This weekend’s concert was a true labour of love, with just one volunteer preparing all the refreshments for the musicians. The need for helping hands is clear, but so too is the reward: unforgettable evenings of world-class music, shared in an intimate and inspiring setting.
If you’re interested in volunteering at future concerts or would like to explore the possibility of becoming a trustee, please email Roy Attwood secretary@farnhamsinfonia.org.uk