London Philharmonic
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The London Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1947 as the chorus for the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Working under conductors such as Boulez, Elder, Gatti, Haitink, Jurowski, Masur, Norrington, Rattle, Solti, Tennstedt and Welser-MĶst, the choir has always met with critical acclaim. Now widely regarded as one of the nations finest choirs, we perform regularly with the LPO and other world-class orchestras at major venues and festivals throughout the year.
From time to time we tour abroad — recently to Paris, Lucerne, Rome, Athens, Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Canary Islands, and further afield to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Perth. In January 2004 we were invited to sing in the Vaticans Papal Concert of Reconciliation. We have also built up an impressive discography throughout our history and continue to participate in recordings for CD, radio and television.
Our standards are high, but its not all hard work – were a very friendly and relaxed choir, enjoying not only the singing but a bit of socialising too. Youll find out more about what we do – including information about joining us – on the following page
Concerts in 2007 and 2008 include
Julian Anderson Alleluia Vladimir Jurowski
J.S. Bach Lobet den Herrn Neville Creed
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Christoph von DohnДЎnyi
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Christoph Eschenbach
Berlioz Requiem Yan Pascal Tortelier
Bernstein Chichester Psalms Steven Sloane
Bruckner Motets Neville Creed
Elgar 150th Anniversary Mark Elder
Handel Dixit Dominus Steven Sloane
Haydn FUNharmonics Family Concert Matthew Rowe
Ives Symphony No. 4 David Robertson
Korngold Film Music John Wilson
Mahler Das klagende Lied Vladimir Jurowski
Mahler Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection) Simone Young
Mahler Symphony No. 3 Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
Mozart Requiem Vladimir Jurowski
Orff Carmina Burana Andrew Greenwood
Tippett A Child of our Time Sir Andrew Davis
Verdi Requiem Vladimir Jurowski
Next concert
Royal Gala Concert
Tuesday 9 October 2007
7.30 pm, Royal Festival Hall
Paul Daniel conductor
Emma Bell soprano
Susan Bickley mezzo-soprano
Philip Langridge tenor
Sir Willard White bass
Harry Christophers conductor*
Ken Burton director**
The Sixteen*
London Adventist Chorale**
London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Choir
Philharmonia Chorus
Angmering Chorale
Billinghurst Choral Society
London Forest Choir
Voicelab Surge
Royal Choral Society
National Anthem
Handel Zadok the priest
Purcell goes Gospel
Elgar Introduction and Allegro
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 — 4th movement
Our creation
The London Philharmonic Choir was formed from the rump of an earlier choir created in 1919 by Charles Kennedy Scott (1876—1965), the �Philharmonic Choir’, which had been disbanded in 1939 with the outbreak of war. In November 1946, a meeting took place at the Royal Academy of Music at which former members of the Philharmonic Choir came together to discuss the formation of a new ensemble that they hoped would carry on the tradition.The chorus master was to be Frederic Jackson, Professor of Piano at the RAM.
Jackson’s ambition was to create a choir that could perform major choral works вЂ?in the finest possible manner’, and it was hoped to start rehearsals in early 1947 at Livingstone Hall in the Broadway near St James’s Park. The annual subscription for members would be one guinea (ÐЈ1.05, but more like ÐЈ35 in today’s money).
Another key figure involved in setting up the new choir was George Barker. He had heard that the London Philharmonic Orchestra was interested in the creation of a first-class choir and asked for a mandate to approach the LPO to discuss the possibilities of musical and financial co-operation.The encouragement given both at the meeting and expressed in letters of support from old choir members unable to attend made it clear that the formation of the new choir should go ahead. It was also agreed that George Barker should approach the committee of the Orchestra with a view to opening negotiations.
During the next five weeks the choir was generously financed by Rita Beevor, an enthusiastic member of the former Philharmonic Choir who shared the vision for its restoration.
She was Honorary Secretary and backbone of the London Philharmonic Choir for the five years until her death in 1952.
On 13 December 1946, negotiations with the LPO culminated in their agreeing to support the new choir for its first year with ÐЈ1,000.
The Orchestra also agreed that, subject to satisfactory evidence of its abilities, they would employ the choir in May 1947 to perform Beethoven’s Ninth followed by another major choral work later in the year.The Orchestra hoped to employ the whole choir annually to perform two major and two minor choral works, and agreed that the choir could use the name �London Philharmonic Choir’ as long as