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]
Love Theme
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel
Like a snowball down a mountain, or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that's turning running rings around the moon
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind!
Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone
Like a door that keeps revolving in a half forgotten dream
Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind!
Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head
Why did summer go so quickly, was it something that you said?
Lovers walking along a shore and leave their footprints in the sand
Is the sound of distant drumming just the fingers of your hand?
Pictures hanging in a hallway and the fragment of a song
Half remembered names and faces, but to whom do they belong?
When you knew that it was over you were suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning to the color of her hair!
Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel
As the images unwind, like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind!
The lyrics to the Love Theme by the London Symphony Orchestra beautifully describe the intricate and interconnected nature of memories, emotions, and thoughts. The lyrics evoke a sense of constant movement and cyclical patterns, urging us to explore the depths of our minds and the world around us.
The first verse compares life to a circle in a spiral, emphasizing the eternal cycle of existence. It portrays life as a continuous journey, with no clear starting or ending point. The imagery of a snowball rolling down a mountain or a carousel turning around the moon further emphasizes this never-ending motion and the interconnectedness of everything.
The second verse explores the mysterious and subconscious aspects of our minds. It speaks of following a tunnel that leads to another tunnel, representing a journey into our own thoughts and dreams. The mention of a door that keeps revolving in a half-forgotten dream suggests the cyclical and repetitive nature of our subconscious. The ripples from a pebble in a stream symbolize how small actions or thoughts can have far-reaching effects, echoing the interconnectedness theme.
The last verse delves into the realm of memories and their deeply emotional impact. The keys jingling in your pocket and words jangling in your head represent the lingering memories and thoughts that occupy one's mind. The mention of summer passing quickly and the sound of distant drumming allude to the passage of time and how fleeting moments can leave lasting impressions. The lyrics conclude with the bittersweet realization of a lost love, comparing the turning of autumn leaves to the changing color of her hair, signifying the end of a beautiful chapter.
Overall, the Love Theme lyrics are a poetic reflection on the intricate nature of life, memories, and emotions. They encourage contemplation and introspection, inviting listeners to explore the circles and spirals within their own minds.
Line by Line Meaning
Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel
Life's journey is like a continuous cycle, with one experience leading to another, much like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel
Life is a never-ending journey, constantly evolving and progressing, just like a reel that keeps spinning.
Like a snowball down a mountain, or a carnival balloon
Life can sometimes feel like a snowball rolling down a mountain, gaining momentum and growing in size, or like a balloon at a carnival being carried away by the wind.
Like a carousel that's turning running rings around the moon
Life is akin to a carousel, constantly in motion and going around in circles, just like rings running around the moon.
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face
Time passes swiftly, much like the sweeping hands of a clock moving past each minute on its face.
And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space
The world is like a spinning apple, quietly revolving in the vastness of space, representing the grandness and mystery of existence.
Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind!
Similar to the circles observed in windmills, the complexities and patterns of thoughts, memories, and imagination exist within the mind.
Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own
Life's journey can take you down a path that leads to another path, resembling a tunnel within a tunnel.
Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone
Sometimes, life can lead you to dark and unexplored places, like a cavern where sunlight has never reached.
Like a door that keeps revolving in a half-forgotten dream
Certain memories or dreams may involve a revolving door, symbolizing the cyclical nature of these thoughts and the faint remembrance they hold.
Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream
Small actions or words can have significant consequences, much like the ripples caused by a pebble thrown into a stream.
Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head
The sound of jingling keys in your pocket and jangling words in your mind represents the presence of tangible and intangible thoughts, ideas, and possibilities.
Why did summer go so quickly, was it something that you said?
The fleeting nature of time can make us wonder why enjoyable seasons, like summer, pass by swiftly, leaving us to question if our own actions played a role.
Lovers walking along a shore and leave their footprints in the sand
The footprints left by lovers walking along the shore depict the tangible traces of their connection and the lasting impact of their shared experiences.
Is the sound of distant drumming just the fingers of your hand?
The distant drumming sound may simply be the rhythmic beats created by our own actions or decisions, symbolizing the influence we have on our own lives.
Pictures hanging in a hallway and the fragment of a song
The presence of pictures on a hallway wall and fragments of a song evoke memories and nostalgia, connecting us to specific moments in our past.
Half-remembered names and faces, but to whom do they belong?
Sometimes, we can only recall bits and pieces of names and faces, leaving us uncertain about the individuals they belong to and highlighting the imperfection of memory.
When you knew that it was over, you were suddenly aware
When the realization hits that a phase or relationship has come to an end, a sudden awareness and understanding arise.
That the autumn leaves were turning to the color of her hair!
The changing colors of autumn leaves serve as a metaphor for the realization that the seasons, like relationships, change, and the specific reference to hair color adds a personal touch.
As the images unwind, like the circles that you find
As the images and memories unfold and unravel in our minds, we can see the recurring patterns and circles akin to those found in the windmills of our thoughts.
In the windmills of your mind!
The windmills of our mind symbolize the continuous and intricate nature of our thoughts, emotions, and imagination, where ideas and concepts are constantly in motion.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BERTHOLD BRECHT, KURT WEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind