More recently, its principal conductors have included Pierre Monteux (1961–64), István Kertész (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.
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 1956, the orchestra appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's film The Man Who Knew Too Much, conducted by composer Bernard Herrmann in the climactic scene, filmed in Royal Albert Hall.
In 1966, the London Symphony Chorus (LSC) was formed to complement the work of the LSO. With more than 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 extroverted 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). One of the first women to join the orchestra was the oboist Evelyn Rothwell. 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 organisation after severe fiscal troubles. Since 2005, Kathryn McDowell is the Managing Director of the LSO.
A Whiter Shade Of Pale
The London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
But the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
The waiter brought a tray
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale
She said, 'There is no reason
And the truth is plain to see.'
But I wandered through my playing cards
And would not let her be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might have just as well've been closed
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale, the singer of the song, who has been dancing with his partner at a party, begins to feel dizzy and ill. Despite this, the crowd wants them to continue dancing, and the music in the room intensifies, creating a surreal atmosphere. As they order another drink, the waiter arrives carrying a tray. In the second verse, the singer recalls a conversation he had with a woman whose face turned "a whiter shade of pale," although they cannot remember why. The woman denies that there is a reason for her sudden change in appearance, but the singer cannot focus on her words, as he is preoccupied with his own thoughts. He imagines himself as one of sixteen virgin priestesses leaving the temple - a metaphor for the singer's own inner struggles and emotional journey.
The song's lyrics are often interpreted as being about love, deception, and loss. Some suggest that the singer is experiencing unrequited love for the woman, who is leaving him behind to go on an adventure. Others argue that the song is more existential, representing the search for meaning in a world that is ultimately chaotic and arbitrary. Whatever the meaning, the lyrics are rich in vivid imagery and emotional resonance, making "A Whiter Shade of Pale" one of the most memorable and enduring songs of its era.
Line by Line Meaning
We skipped the light fandango
We danced lightly and gracefully
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
We moved with excitement and energy, turning cartwheels as we danced
I was feeling kinda seasick
I was feeling nauseous
But the crowd called out for more
Despite my discomfort, the audience demanded an encore
The room was humming harder
The atmosphere became more intense
As the ceiling flew away
As if the ceiling was disappearing
When we called out for another drink
We asked for another drink to keep the party going
The waiter brought a tray
The waiter brought us our requested drinks on a tray
And so it was that later
After all of that happened
As the miller told his tale
The storyteller shared his story
That her face, at first just ghostly,
At first, her face was pale and almost ghost-like
Turned a whiter shade of pale
Then, her face became even paler than before
She said, 'There is no reason
She tried to explain why her face had turned pale
And the truth is plain to see.'
But the real reason behind her reaction was obvious
But I wandered through my playing cards
I was lost in my own thoughts and concerns
And would not let her be
I was not paying attention to her and her needs
One of sixteen vestal virgins
One of sixteen women who were sworn to chastity
Who were leaving for the coast
Who were departing for the seaside
And although my eyes were open
Despite being physically present and awake
They might have just as well've been closed
I was not really seeing or paying attention to what was happening around me
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christianmusique7947
thank you Jean Sebastien BACH...You are the best.
@LamNguyenJULY4
A timeless classic. an icon of the 60s. I fell in love with this song as a youngster, and I lived out my adulthood with it missing my adolescence.
@cuboglach
Thanks for putting this out there. I arranged and conducted this! Greetings.
@miguelmariano7174
A nice musical piece, bring back nostalgic memories of my teenage years!
@gaian2000
I loved this song since the days it was on the radio. It is a revelation to hear the organ part done by a symphony orchestra. I always wanted to hear rock and roll groups backed up by a real symphony orchestra. The Nashville Symphony now does this on a regular basis. I wish it had happened decades ago. I know the Boston Pops series has been going on for a while, but it only just reached my home town. I also love Apocalyptica and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
@michaeldoyle6702
A great orchestra in Nashville. I think most orchestras in North America do the pop concerts now, given the dwindling audience for over priced traditional classical music concerts. In my hometown, the Toronto Symphony is also doing several movie nights, playing the score while the movie plays. (Amadeus, The Mission...)
@muana13
.........MARAVILHOSA ...
@Tomsonic41
I remember this piece of music from the Music Listening Test I did in high school, though they only used the second half of the piece (1:53 onwards). Been wanting to hear it again for years!
@jacquelinecampbell3143
Tomsonic41 What year?
@duarte.62
linda orchestra