The London Philharmonic’s half-century of music

Press, 8 January 1983, Page 13

The London Philharmonic’s half-century of music

By

ERIC MASON,

music critic, “Daily Mail,” London.

In its 50 years of existence the London Philharmonic

Orchestra has successfully survived several major crises, to find itself today still among the finest ensembles of its kind anywhere. It was founded in October, 1932, by that great but eccentric British conductor, Sir Thomas Beecham, with the avowed intention of making it the equal of the Philharmonic orchestras of Berlin, Vienna, and New York. His promise of the most important concert and opera seasons in London attracted the best players. And the new orchestra rriade a triumphant debut. Some of the audience even , stood on the seats to cheer after a performance of the "Carneval Romain” overture of Berlioz which the leading critic, Ernest Newman, described as “a miracle of fire and beauty." Beecham raised British orchestral playing to a totally new standard, and for the rest of that decade the London Philharmonic dominated the musical scene in Britain. The outbreak of the Second. World War brought the first crisis. Concert seasons were interrupted, the Royal Opera House closed, Beecham's managing company was liquidated, and the exhausted conductor departed to spend . several years in Australia \ - —

and the United States. But the orchestra was saved by its players who formed a cooperative management. Throughout the war the Philharmonic travelled incessantly. often giving two symphony concerts a night, six days'a week. The musicians overcame appalling difficulties, including the loss of most of their instruments when the Queen’s Hall in London was destroyed by bombs. After 1945, the Philharmonic drew great international artists to London again. Such conductors as Ansermet, van Beinum. Furtwangler, Erich Kleiber, Koussevitzky, Munch, de Sabata, and Bruno Walter worked with it, and young newcomers such as Georg Solti and Leonard Bernstein were given valuable encouragement. Eduard van Beinum. chief of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, had two successful seasons, from 1948 to 1950. as principal conductor before illness intervened. His sucessors in that position have been Sir Adrian Boult, William Steinberg, John Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, and Sir Georg Solti. A severe financial crisis in

1957 had ill effects on the orchestra's artistic quality. However, in the early 1960 s Pritchard laid strong new foundations on which Haitink. his Dutch successor, restored the London Philharmonic to its former eminence.

Haitink’s 12-year regime, from 1967 to 1979, earned him an honorary British knighthood. Today. his association with the orchestra continues happily at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera where the Philharmonic has been the resident orchestra every summer since 1964. One major factor in the orchestra’s success has been the stability of its self-man-agement. The co-operative established in 1939 is still in existence; the players elect the directors. All of them, except the managing director, are current members of the orchestra. Thomas Russell, the viola player, who was the chief architect of the co-operative, was succeeded by a former principal trumpet. Eric Bravington. He served as managing director for more than 20 years until 1980. Sadly, Bravington died a few weeks before the orchestra’s 50th anniversary.

In its half century the London Philharmonic has made numerous tours to other countries. Besides many visits to mainland Europe, it has undertaken three extensive tours in the United States and four visits to the Far East.ln 1973 it had the honour of being the first western orchestra to tour China, India, Australia. Canada. and Mexico too, have heard its music: only New Zealand, South America, and the Middle East still await a visit.

As part of its jubilee celebrations the orchestra is visiting eight European countries in February and March. The conductors will be Sir Georg Solti and Klaus Tennstedt. In September. Tennstedt will take over as principal conductor from Sir Georg. Solti, however, will maintain a close connection with the orchestra as Conductor Emeritus.

Tennstedt has enjoyed a spectacular rise to fame since he left East Germany in 1971. His association with the London Philharmonic in the past five years has been a kind of love affair. The huge success of his Mahler concerts and recordings with these players has raised high

hopes for the forthcoming “marriage." Already there are plans for Tennstedt and the orchestra to visit Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States in 1984. Meanwhile, in London the jubilee season continues until May with an impressive array of celebrated conductors and soloists. The orchestra is also nurturing future audiences by developing a new style of concert for children, encouraging the youngsters to make music with the professionals. A performance of the “William Tell Overture,” conducted by a 10-year-old boy drawn at random from the audience, was in its way a high point of last season.

Financial difficulties remain. The worldwide economic recession has aggravated the problem of insufficient funding which the orchestra has faced ever since 1932. But it has recently found several commercial and industrial sponsors to supplement public subventions without having to compromise its artistic principles. The London Philharmonic is justifiably proud of its high place among the world's orchestras. As the present managing director. Stephen Crabtree, says: "Expectations for the future must be optimistic.” London Press Service