More recently, its principal conductors have included Pierre Monteux (1961–64), Istvan Kertesz (1965–68), André Previn (1968–79) and Claudio Abbado (1979–88). From 1988-1995, the American Michael Tilson-Thomas took over, and in 1995, became principal guest conductor. Sir Colin Davis served as the LSO's Principal Conductor from 1995-2006, and in 2007 took the post of President of the orchestra. On 1 January 2007, Valery Gergiev became the LSO's Principal Conductor. Previn holds the title of Conductor Laureate. In 2006, Daniel Harding became the co-principal guest conductor alongside Tilson Thomas. Richard Hickox is the Associate Guest Conductor of the LSO.
The LSO became the first British orchestra to play overseas when it went to Paris in 1906. The LSO was due to sail on the RMS Titanic for a concert in New York in April 1912 but fortunately had to change the booking at the last minute. It was also the first to play in the United States, in 1912, and in 1973 it was the first to be invited to take part in the Salzburg Festival. It continues to make tours around the world.
In 1966 the London Symphony Chorus (LSC) was formed to complement the work of the LSO. with more that two hundred amateur singers, the LSC maintains a close association with the LSO; however it has developed an independent life, which allows it to partner other leading orchestras.
The LSO has long been considered the most extraverted of the London orchestras. For most of its life it refused to allow women to become members, ostensibly on the grounds that women would affect the sound of the orchestra (there has been a similar controversy at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra). There is an air of youthful high spirits to much of its music-making that is shown off in performances of such composers as Berlioz and Prokofiev. The LSO has often had internationally-known players as wind soloists, including such artists as James Galway (flute), Gervase de Peyer (clarinet), Roger Lord (oboe), Osian Ellis (harp), John Georgiadis (violin) and Barry Tuckwell (horn). Like most ensembles, the orchestra has a great ability to vary its sound, producing very different tone colours under such diverse conductors as Stokowski (with whom it made a series of memorable recordings), Adrian Boult, Jascha Horenstein, Georg Solti, André Previn, George Szell, Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, John Barbirolli, and Karl Böhm, who developed a close relationship with the orchestra late in his life. Böhm and Bernstein each held the title of LSO President in their later years.
Clive Gillinson, a former cellist with the orchestra, served as the LSO's Managing Director from 1984 to 2005, and is widely credited with bringing great stability to the LSO's organization after severe fiscal troubles.[1] Since 2005, Kathryn McDowell is the Managing Director of the LSO.[2]
La Wally
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come va l'eco della pia campana
Là, fra la neve bianca
Là, fra le nubi d'or
Là, dov'è la speranza, la speranza
Il rimpianto, il rimpianto, e il dolor
O della madre mia casa gioconda
Da te lontana assai
E forse a te, e forse a te
Non farà mai più ritorno
Né più la rivedrai
Mai più, mai più
N'andrò sola e lontana
Come l'eco è della pia campana
Là, fra la neve bianca
N'andrò, n'andrò sola e lontana
E fra le nubi d'or
The lyrics to London Symphony Orchestra's La Wally are full of pain, longing, and a sense of duty. The first stanza tells of the singer's decision to leave everything she knows behind - to go far away, where hope, regret, and pain all reside. The second stanza is addressed to the singer's mother, telling her that La Wally will leave and not return, perhaps never to be seen again. The final stanza reiterates the singer's desire to go alone and far away, echoing the tolling bell that marks her departure.
The lyrics seem to be about sacrifice - the singer is willing to give up everything in order to find a glimmer of hope, to move beyond her pain and regret. The sense of duty is also palpable - La Wally seems to have made this decision out of necessity rather than desire. The repetition of "sola e lontana" emphasizes her loneliness and isolation. The word "andarò", meaning "I will go", is repeated throughout the song, a testament to La Wally's determination to follow through with her decision.
Line by Line Meaning
Ebbene, n'andrò lontana
Well then, I will go far away
Come va l'eco della pia campana
Like the sound of a bell's echo
Là, fra la neve bianca
There, among the white snow
Là, fra le nubi d'or
There, among the golden clouds
Là, dov'è la speranza, la speranza
There, where hope exists, hope
Il rimpianto, il rimpianto, e il dolor
Regret, regret, and pain
O della madre mia casa gioconda
Oh, my joyful childhood home
La Wally n'andrà da te
La Wally will go away from you
Da te lontana assai
Far away from you
E forse a te, e forse a te
And maybe to you, and maybe to you
Non farà mai più ritorno
Will never return again
Né più la rivedrai
Nor will you see her again
Mai più, mai più
Never again, never again
N'andrò sola e lontana
I will go alone and far away
Come l'eco è della pia campana
Like the sound of a bell's echo
Là, fra la neve bianca
There, among the white snow
N'andrò, n'andrò sola e lontana
I will go, I will go alone and far away
E fra le nubi d'or
And among the golden clouds
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALFREDO CATALANI, FRANK PETERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@archenema6792
Still blasts me into another world every time I hear it after all these years.
@n.emilioaviles
After seeing DIVA in1982, I bought the soundtrack on cassette and played this aria constantly. Hommage a Jean-Jacques Beineix.
@CaffeineNightOwl
still one of the best movies and arias ever. and now imagine discovering this masterpiece in the context of the year 1981 ... mindblowing ...
@bbouzat7758
Absolument merveilleux, ce morceau développe les émotions et c'est bon. Merci de tout coeur
@olive36
Aucun style ne vous résiste ...J'en ai les larmes au yeux c'est superbe vraiment
@archenema6792
The actual name of the Aria is "Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana", which means "Well, then? I'll go far away."
@ribpaie
Pure Merveille Merci!!!!!!!!!!
@Steph82230
Ca vous donne la chair de poule vraiment!
Ca me fait le même effet que quand j'écoute la Grande Maria Callas!
De l'émotion dans la voix on sent vraiment que ça vient du ventre!!
@demultiplexeur2
Ah bon?
@deborahpaley21
40 years has passed. I feel like a shooting star.