All of the composers on this album were part of a new ‘English Style’ that blended traditional lyricism with wider influences from Europe and Scandinavia. They shared a rebelliousness against established musical conservatism and created vivid responses to nature and the living folk heritage of England and Ireland. From Vaughan Williams’ enchanting textures, via Bax and Bridge’s harmonic surprises, to Delius’s return to his roots at the end of his life—this is a rich collection of shimmering gems from the British Isles.