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]
Tears of a Clown
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
it's only there trying to fool the public
but when it comes down to fooling you
now honey that's quite a diff'rent subject
Don't let my glad expression
give you the wrong impression really I'm sad
Oh, sadder than sad, you're gone and I'm hurting so bad
like a clown I pretend to be glad
Now there's some sad things known to man
but ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
Oh yeah, baby,
Now if I appear to be carefree,
it's only to camouflage my sadness
in order to shield my pride
I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness
But Don't let my show convince you
that I've been happy since you decided to go,
I need you so, I'm hurt and I want you to know
but for others I put on a show
Now there's some sad things known to man
but ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown,
when there's no one around
Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my sadness hid
smiling in the public eye
but in my lonely room I cry
the tears of a clown
Oh, yeah baby
Now, if there's a smile on my face
Don't let my glad expression
Give you a wrong impression
Don't let this smile I wear
Make you think that I don't care
Now there's some sad things known to man
but ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
The London Symphony Orchestra's song "Tears of a Clown" is a melancholy ballad about a person who is pretending to be happy in order to hide their true emotions. The song begins by describing how the person puts on a happy face in public, but when it comes to fooling someone they care about, it becomes a different story. The lyrics suggest that the person is feeling sad and lonely after their loved one left them. The chorus repeats the phrase "the tears of a clown," emphasizing the idea that even though they are putting on a show, they are truly feeling quite sad.
The second verse elaborates on the idea of putting on a show to hide one's pain. The person is trying to keep their sadness a secret and show the world that they are happy, even though they are deeply hurting inside. The lyrics mention that the person needs their loved one and wants them back, but they are trying to keep up appearances for others. The song ends with a reference to the Italian opera Pagliacci, in which a clown hides his true sadness and pain behind a happy face.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if there's a smile upon my face
I put on a happy face for others to see.
it's only there trying to fool the public
But my smile is just a show to hide my true emotions.
but when it comes down to fooling you
However, I can't fake my feelings for you.
now honey that's quite a diff'rent subject
Because you're the only one who truly knows me.
Don't let my glad expression
Please don't be fooled by my happy demeanor.
give you the wrong impression really I'm sad
Deep down, I'm really hurting and feeling sad.
Oh, sadder than sad, you're gone and I'm hurting so bad
Your departure has left me feeling devasted and heartbroken.
like a clown I pretend to be glad
I put on a happy face, similar to a clown's mask, to hide my pain.
Now there's some sad things known to man
There are many things in life that can make you feel sad.
but ain't too much sadder than
But nothing is as difficult as dealing with
the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
Feeling lonely and heartbroken, but pretending to be happy when no one is watching.
Now if I appear to be carefree,
I may seem carefree and happy
it's only to camouflage my sadness
But it's only because I am hiding my true feelings of sadness.
in order to shield my pride
I want to protect my ego and self-image from being hurt.
I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness
By acting happy, I'm trying to mask my pain and hurt.
But Don't let my show convince you
But please don't be misled by my performance
that I've been happy since you decided to go,
Just because you left doesn't mean I've been happy or moved on.
I need you so, I'm hurt and I want you to know
I'm hurting and I want you to understand how much I need you.
but for others I put on a show
But I continue to put on a happy face for others to see.
Just like Pagliacci did
Similar to the Italian opera clown Pagliacci
I try to keep my sadness hid
I'm attempting to keep my true emotions concealed.
smiling in the public eye
Putting on a happy face for the public to see
but in my lonely room I cry
But when I'm all alone, I cry because I can't hide my true emotions anymore.
the tears of a clown
I'm crying because I'm feeling lonely and heartbroken.
Oh, yeah baby
It's hard to deal with these kinds of emotions.
Don't let this smile I wear
Please don't let my happy face fool you.
Make you think that I don't care
I still care even though I'm pretending to be happy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILLIAM JR. ROBINSON, STEVIE WONDER, HENRY COSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind