The LSO:
a standout orchestra
‘The LSO stands out from all the
orchestras I’ve worked with because
of its totally unique work ethic. The
players are always ‘on’, whether it’s
9am or 9pm, whether they’ve been
working flat-out all week, or whether
they’ve just come back from their
holiday. You start work and they’ll
immediately light up in a way I’ve
never experienced anywhere else.
The LSO style is well known – there’s
snappiness and vitality, a precision and
a drive, and they give their all, especially
when it comes to volume. Where does
it come from? Well, they certainly have
extraordinary versatility: they can play
anything! But there’s an attitude that
goes with that – they have the same
openness to every project that comes their
way. They have the vocabulary to be true
to every style of sound that’s required.
They’re constantly adapting.
They also benefit from great management,
people who share with the musicians
a curiosity about new things, and don’t
shy away from new challenges. And as
the players are involved in many of the
decision-making processes, they choose
to work with people who share their
philosophy. They’re scrappers too – they
love putting things together and the range
of music-making they tackle is colossal!
You always get the sense that they’re there
because they want to be – there’s never
any sense of grind. And that contributes
to the immediacy of the experience.’
Marin Alsop, conductor
Gramophone Magazine December 2008
From Berlin to New York, an esteemed
panel of music critics named the London
Symphony Orchestra fourth in the world,
the only UK orchestra to make it into
their Top 20
© Kevin Leighton
‘ The range of music-making
the LSO tackles is enormous.’
Marin Alsop
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