John Wilson conducts the Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. Vaughan Williams’s rhapsodic masterpiece is well suited to socially-distanced performance – he divides his forces into two mini-orchestras and a string quartet, and asks for them to be placed as far apart as possible, to weave a web of luminous sound around the listener.

This piece was filmed as part of the Philharmonia Sessions, a series of new online performances during the Covid-19 pandemic. Take the best seat in your house to enjoy specially created performances of some of the most uplifting classical music.

Watch the rest of our Philharmonia Sessions videos here:    • The Philharmonia Sessions  

You can watch the rest of our videos featuring string instruments here:    • String Instruments (Philharmonia Orch...  

The Philharmonia is a world-class symphony orchestra, led by Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

Based in London at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, resident in cities and at festivals across England, and touring internationally, the Philharmonia creates thrilling performances for a global audience. Find out more about us on our website: https://philharmonia.co.uk/

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Supported by:
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Promoted in partnership with Classic FM.