The LSO was founded in 1904 as an independent, self governing organization,… Read Full Bio ↴The LSO was founded in 1904 as an independent, self governing organization, the first such orchestra in the UK. It played its first concert on 9 June of that year, with Hans Richter conducting. He remained principal conductor until 1911, when Edward Elgar took over for a year, leading six concerts as principal conductor.

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]

Loewe: My Fair Lady
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bed, bed I couldn't go to bed
My head's too light to try to set it down
Sleep, sleep I couldn't sleep tonight
Not for all the jewels in the crown

I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night
And still have begged for more
I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things

I've never done before

I'll never know what made it so exciting
Why all at once my heart took flight
I only know when he began to dance with me
I could have danced, danced, danced all night

It's after three now
Don't you agree now?
She ought to be in bed

I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night
And still have begged for more
I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things
I've never done before

I'll never know what made it so exciting
Why all at once my heart took flight
I only know when he began to dance with me
I could have danced, danced, danced all night

I understand dear
It's all been grand dear
But now it's time to sleep

I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night
And still have begged for more
I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things
I've never done before

I'll never know what made it so exciting
Why all at once my heart took flight

I only know when he began to dance with me
I could have danced, danced, danced all night

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are from the song "I Could Have Danced All Night" from the musical "My Fair Lady," performed here by the London Symphony Orchestra. The song is sung by the character Eliza Doolittle, who is overwhelmed with excitement and joy after attending a ball with her love interest, Freddy. Unable to sleep, Eliza reflects on the magical evening and her desire to continue dancing and embracing all the new experiences that have unfolded before her.

The first stanza expresses Eliza's inability to go to bed because her head is filled with euphoria that prevents her from settling down. She is too elated to even consider sleeping, as the feeling of the night's events fills her with a sense of lightness that keeps her awake. The mention of the jewels in the crown signifies that even the promise of great wealth and luxury cannot compare to the excitement she feels.

In the second stanza, Eliza continues to emphasize her immense enjoyment of the evening. She could have danced all night and still desired more, displaying her enthusiasm for the night's events. She longs to spread her wings and engage in countless new experiences, indicating a newfound sense of freedom and joy that she has never before experienced in her life.

The bridge of the song highlights Eliza's confusion and wonderment at the intensity of her emotions. She wonders what exactly made the night so thrilling and exuberating, but all she knows is that as soon as her love interest, Freddy, began dancing with her, her heart soared and she felt truly alive. The repetition of "I could have danced, danced, danced all night" underscores her overwhelming desire to continue reveling in the joyous experience.

The final stanza introduces a different voice, possibly the voice of reason or a companion urging Eliza to finally go to bed. It acknowledges the grandness of the evening and the enchantment that was felt but poses the reminder that it is now time to rest. Eliza acknowledges the sentiment, reaffirming her previous desire to dance all night, but understands that it is time to sleep and let the magic of the evening settle.

Overall, the song "I Could Have Danced All Night" captures the thrill and exhilaration of a transformative experience for Eliza Doolittle. It showcases her newfound happiness and desire for a life filled with joy and adventure.

Line by Line Meaning

Bed, bed I couldn't go to bed
I was unable to go to sleep

My head's too light to try to set it down
My mind was so filled with excitement that it prevented me from being able to relax

Sleep, sleep I couldn't sleep tonight
I was unable to fall asleep

Not for all the jewels in the crown
No amount of riches or wealth could have made me sleep

I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night
I had an overwhelming desire to continue dancing

And still have begged for more
Even if I had danced for an extended period, I would have wanted to dance even more

I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things
I felt a sense of liberation and endless possibilities

I've never done before
Activities and experiences that were new to me

I'll never know what made it so exciting
I cannot pinpoint the exact reason for its exhilaration

Why all at once my heart took flight
Suddenly, my heart was filled with joy and excitement

I only know when he began to dance with me
The moment he started dancing with me

I could have danced, danced, danced all night
I had an intense desire to continue dancing without end

It's after three now
It is currently past three o'clock

Don't you agree now?
Wouldn't you now concur?

She ought to be in bed
She should be resting in her bed

I understand dear
I comprehend, my dear

It's all been grand dear
Everything has been magnificent, my dear

But now it's time to sleep
However, it is now the time to rest

Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, ACUM Ltd., Iricom US Ltd, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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