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]
The Winner Takes It All
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though it's hurting me, now it's history.
I've played all my cards and that's what you've done too,
Nothing more to say, no more ace to play.
The winner takes it all,
The loser standing small beside the victory, that's her destiny.
I was in your arms thinking I belonged there,
Building me a home, thinking I'd be strong there,
But I was a fool, playing by the rules.
The gods may throw a dice, their minds as cold as ice,
And someone way down here loses someone dear.
The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall,
It's simple and it's plain, why should I complain.
But tell me, does she kiss like I used to kiss you,
Does it feel the same when she calls your name.
Somewhere deep inside you must know I miss you,
But what can I say, rules must be obeyed.
The judges will decide the likes of me abide,
Spectators of the show always staying low.
The game is on again, a lover or a friend,
A big thing or a small, the winner takes it all.
I don't wanna talk if it makes you feel sad,
And I understand you've come to shake my hand.
I apologize if it makes you feel bad seeing me so tense, no self confidence.
The Winner Takes It All is a song by the London Symphony Orchestra that explores the pain and heartache that comes with losing in a relationship. The song is truly emotional, and even though the lyrics may seem simple, the deep meaning behind them is quite powerful. The song starts by saying that the singer doesn't want to talk about things they've gone through, even though it's hurting them. They acknowledge that what's happened is now history, and they've both played their cards. There's nothing more to say and no more aces to play. The winner takes it all, and the loser stands small beside the victory as that's their destiny. Essentially, this means that the one who comes out on top gets to enjoy the benefits while the loser is left to be a spectator.
The second verse talks about how the singer had thought they belonged with their partner, and it made sense to build a home there. However, they were a fool to play by the rules and didn't realize that the gods may throw a dice, and the outcome can be very unexpected. The winner takes it all, and the loser has to fall, and there's no point in complaining. However, the singer still wonders if their ex-partner's current lover kisses the same way and if it feels the same to be called by their name. The judges will decide, and the spectators will stay low. The game is on again whether it's a lover or a friend, but the winner takes it all.
In the end, the singer says they don't want to talk if it makes their ex-partner feel sad, and they apologize for being so tense and lacking self-confidence. The song's overall message is that in relationships, there will always be someone who comes out on top, and they have to accept that they lost and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna talk about things we've gone through,
I don't want to discuss the past experiences we shared.
Though it's hurting me, now it's history.
Although it hurts me, those experiences are in the past and cannot be changed.
I've played all my cards and that's what you've done too,
I have done everything I could, just like you.
Nothing more to say, no more ace to play.
There's nothing left to do or say, and we have no more tricks up our sleeves.
The winner takes it all,
The person who comes out on top will take everything.
The loser standing small beside the victory, that's her destiny.
The person who loses will be left feeling small and defeated, as that is their fate.
I was in your arms thinking I belonged there,
When we were together, I felt like I belonged with you.
I figured it made sense, building me a fence,
I thought it made sense to protect myself from being hurt.
Building me a home, thinking I'd be strong there,
I believed that building a home with you would make me stronger.
But I was a fool, playing by the rules.
I was foolish for thinking that playing by the rules would lead to a successful outcome.
The gods may throw a dice, their minds as cold as ice,
Fate can be unpredictable and cruel, with no regard for our emotions.
And someone way down here loses someone dear.
Someone, like us, may lose someone they truly care about deeply.
The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall,
The winner will take everything while the loser will have to face defeat.
It's simple and it's plain, why should I complain.
The outcome is straightforward, and I have no reason to complain about it.
But tell me, does she kiss like I used to kiss you,
Out of curiosity, I wonder if she kisses you the same way I used to.
Does it feel the same when she calls your name.
I wonder if it feels the same when she calls your name.
Somewhere deep inside you must know I miss you,
I'm sure you have an inkling that I still miss you.
But what can I say, rules must be obeyed.
Unfortunately, we have to abide by the rules, no matter how difficult.
The judges will decide the likes of me abide,
The judges, whoever they may be, will decide our fate.
Spectators of the show always staying low.
Those who watch our lives unfold are often passive observers.
The game is on again, a lover or a friend,
Our lives continue, and we may find ourselves in new relationships, whether they be romantic or platonic.
A big thing or a small, the winner takes it all.
Whether it's a significant or a minor event, the winner will always be victorious.
I don't wanna talk if it makes you feel sad,
I don't want to bring up painful memories or make you feel upset in any way.
And I understand you've come to shake my hand.
I appreciate that you're willing to maintain a cordial relationship and greet me.
I apologize if it makes you feel bad seeing me so tense, no self confidence.
I'm sorry if I come across as tense or lacking self-confidence, which may make you uncomfortable.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K Ulvaeus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind