Gramophone Classical Music Podcast Sir Mark Elder and Huw Watkins on their new Hallé recording
Mar 13, 2026
Huw Watkins, British composer and pianist who wrote several works for the Hallé. Sir Mark Elder, distinguished British conductor and long-time Hallé music director. They discuss Watkins composing his Symphony No.2, Concerto for Orchestra and a fanfare for the Hallé. Topics include writing during COVID, orchestral character and principals, rhythmic and rehearsal challenges, and the conductor-composer collaboration.
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How The Hallé Commissioned Watkins' First Symphony
- Huw Watkins first encountered the Hallé as a student in Manchester and later returned to write his first symphony for them in 2016.
- His wife Helen Grime's residency and concerts helped build relationships that led to the commission and dinners with Mark Elder.
Rehearse New Works As A Collaborative Process
- Work closely with living composers to realise their inner ear and refine practical details in rehearsal.
- Mark Elder says conducting new music lets you experiment, talk through issues and help achieve what the composer imagined.
Writing The Second Symphony During Lockdown
- Watkins wrote his Second Symphony during the 2020–21 COVID lockdown and found composing it a lifeline amid uncertainty.
- The premiere was filmed in an empty Bridgewater Hall as a digital concert, making the first hearing a solitary but powerful experience.