Composed for the London Sinfonietta in 1993, Thomas Adès’s Living Toys is one of the his most virtuosic early works. Described at the time of its premiere as ‘almost too exuberantly brilliant’ the work contains a number of prominent trumpet solos and is tinged with the music of Spain.

'…an overwhelming onslaught of invention…Like Strauss, Mr Adès can weave disparate materials into an entrancing musical story.' The New York Times (Alex Ross), 25 November 1995