Here in [the Bridge Lament] is a prime example of the heartfelt precision and beauty of tone that typifies John Wilson’s Sinfonia of London. There’s plenty of heart, too, in their superlative treatment of Britten’s marvellous Bridge variations, warmly delivered even during the parody character pieces clustered together in the first half…Wilson’s team prove equally adroit in Berkeley’s Serenade.

The players may have changed [since Barbirolli] but the spirit has not. And the sound. Sumptuous is one word – but because this is Wilson that goes hand-in-hand with the keenest articulation. There’s a rosiny immediacy about it all, like being on the podium, or better yet inside the sound...Wilson’s way with strings has come a long way from Hollywood – but the lustre is inescapable.

Right from the determined opening bars of Britten's Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, it's clear that this is an exceptional album. There's a richness and sumptuousness to the string sound that is truly thrilling, not least in the lower strings...I can't recall many other ensembles who, like a flock of birds moving as one in the sky, are able to adapt and adjust so quickly and single-mindedly…I really can't fault it. Bliss, indeed…

Wilson’s handpicked band plays with a depth of sonority and variety of tone to challenge the greatest ensembles.

Forget any notions of wistful pastoral this title might suggest: English Music for Strings, performed by the Sinfonia of London, conducted by John Wilson, is a collection of works from the 1930s, with a sharp, modernist energy to match. Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, with its poise, angularity and gleam, receives a virtuosic performance from this ace ensemble.