London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra (or LSO) is a symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, it is London's oldest symphony orchestra. It was formed by a group of players who left The Queen's Hall Orchestra in order to form a new group based on co-operative principles.

Since 1982, the LSO has been based at the Barbican Centre. Among its programmes there have been large-scale festivals celebrating composers such as Berlioz, Mahler and Bernstein. The LSO claims to be the world's most recorded orchestra and has made gramophone recordings since 1912. It has played on more than 200 soundtrack recordings, including the ''Star Wars'' series.

Opening under the baton of the legendary Wagner conductor Hans Richter, the London Symphony Orchestra went on to perform with the likes of Arthur Nikisch, Sir Edward Elgar, Fritz Steinbach, Charles Villiers Stanford Sir Thomas Beecham and Edouard Colonne. Following a decline in standards, the orchestra underwent periods of eclipse in the 1930s and 1950. The profit-sharing principle was abandoned in the post-war era as a condition of receiving public subsidy for the first time. Many senior players. By the 1960s however, the LSO had recovered its leading position, playing under Pierre Monteux, André Previn, Claudio Abbado, Sir Colin Davis, and Valery Gergiev among others. Provided by Wikipedia