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London Symphony Orchestra

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The London Symphony Orchestra, LSO for short, was founded in 1904 and is the oldest symphony orchestra in London. A group of players left Henry Wood's Queen's Hall Orchestra, because a new rule obliged them to work exclusively for that orchestra. The LSO later introduced a similar rule itself. The orchestra is self-governing and chooses the conductors it works with. In the early years these were mainly Hans Richter, Sir Edward Elgar and Sir Thomas Beecham, later Pierre Monteux and André Previn, among others.

Music and breakthrough

In the 1930s and 1950s the LSO was overshadowed by newer orchestras, first by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, then by the Philharmonia and the Royal Philharmonic. In the 1960s it recovered its leading position. In 1966 the LSO Chorus was added for choral works. Since 1982 the orchestra has been based at the Barbican Centre, where it has held large festivals devoted to composers such as Berlioz, Mahler and Leonard Bernstein. The LSO calls itself the most recorded orchestra in the world. It has made gramophone records since 1912 and played on more than two hundred film soundtracks. The list includes the Warsaw Concerto from 1942, The Planets from 1954 and Messiah from 1956.

Influence

Through that recording and film work the LSO reached an audience that never set foot in a concert hall. Classical music and film thus came together, and the orchestra became one of the most recognisable British sounds.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the Warsaw Concerto and notice how the piano and the orchestra alternate in a romantic, cinematic theme. Can you hear how the orchestra envelops the piano?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Mentioned in other articles

See also