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]
Prelude To Act 1
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gratia plena
Maria gratia plena
Maria gratia plena
Ave ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedictus tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tui, iesus
Ave maria
Mater dei
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Ora ora pro nobis
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc, et in hora mortis
In hora mortis nostrae
In hora mortis mortis nostrae
In hora mortis nostrae
Ave maria
Ave maria
Maria gratia plena
Maria gratia plena
Ave ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tui, iesus
Ave maria
Ave maria
The lyrics of the song Ave Maria by the London Symphony Orchestra are a tribute to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The song starts with Ave Maria, which means "Hail Mary" in Latin. The following lines, Gratia plena, Maria gratia plena reinforce the idea that Mary is the embodiment of grace and purity. The singer then sings Ave ave dominus, Dominus tecum, which means "Hail, Lord, the Lord is with thee" in Latin. This can be interpreted as a greeting or a prayer asking for Mary’s intercession.
The second part of the song begins with Benedictus tu in mulieribus, which translates to "Blessed art thou among women". The artistic repetition of the phrase emphasizes Mary's exceptional role in salvation history. The next line, Et benedictus fructus ventris, affirms that Jesus, the fruit of Mary's womb, is also blessed. The chorus repeats Ave Maria to express the devotion and love towards Mary, asking for her prayers, and blessing, even in moments of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Ave maria
Hail Mary
Gratia plena
Full of grace
Maria gratia plena
Mary, full of grace
Maria gratia plena
Mary, full of grace
Ave ave dominus
Hail, Lord
Dominus tecum
The Lord is with you
Benedictus tu in mulieribus
Blessed are you among women
Et benedictus
And blessed
Et benedictus fructus ventris
And blessed is the fruit of your womb
Ventris tui, iesus
Jesus
Ave maria
Hail Mary
Mater dei
Mother of God
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Pray for us sinners
Ora ora pro nobis
Pray for us
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Pray for us sinners
Nunc, et in hora mortis
Now, and at the hour of our death
In hora mortis nostrae
At the hour of our death
In hora mortis mortis nostrae
At the hour of our death
In hora mortis nostrae
At the hour of our death
Ave maria
Hail Mary
Ave maria
Hail Mary
Maria gratia plena
Mary, full of grace
Maria gratia plena
Mary, full of grace
Ave ave dominus
Hail, Lord
Dominus tecum
The Lord is with you
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Blessed are you among women
Et benedictus
And blessed
Et benedictus fructus ventris
And blessed is the fruit of your womb
Ventris tui, iesus
Jesus
Ave maria
Hail Mary
Ave maria
Hail Mary
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, GOUNOD, RICHTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind