The London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is a professional chamber orchestra based in London in the United Kingdom. The name has also been used by historical ensembles dating back to 1921. LCO performs at small concert halls across London and has previously toured Asia, the UK, Europe and the United States.

History

The name London Chamber Orchestra was first used in 1921 by the English

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, organist, pianist and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

Anthony Bernard. He conducted the first LCO performance, in the salon of No. 4 St. James's Square on 11 May 1921.

Royal connection

LCO's patron is Camilla, the Queen Consort. The London Chamber Orchestra performed at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. The special programme of music was conducted by Christopher Warren-Green. Music played at the royal wedding was recorded and released digitally by

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

on 5 May 2011.

'Longest established' claim

LCO often describes itself as the UK's 'longest established' or 'longest standing' chamber orchestra, however fellow London orchestra, the London Mozart Players, make a similar claim. One explanation of the conflicting claims is this: although the London Chamber Orchestra name has been in use since 1921, it has been represented by a series of different, often unconnected, individuals, companies and legal entities, with several lengthy periods where no such ensemble has existed or performed.

Performances and education work

The LCO has given more than 100 UK premieres, including works by Malcolm Arnold, Manuel de Falla,

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

, Leoš Janáček,

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

, and, most recently, Graham Fitkin and

James Francis Brown James Francis Brown (born 7 December 1969) is an English composer. He studied composition with the Viennese émigré Hans Heimler (a pupil of Alban Berg) and then at the Royal Academy of Music, London. Career Francis Brown's significant ch ...

. In 2006 the LCO premiered Sir Peter Maxwell Davies's ''The Golden Rule'', written to mark

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...

's 80th birthday. The orchestra also runs an education and outreach programme called Music Junction.

Direction

The London Chamber Orchestra's principal conductor, Christopher Warren-Green, has held the position of Music Director since 1988. The President of the Orchestra is Vladimir Ashkenazy and Rosemary Warren-Green is Education & Outreach Artistic Director.Bach-Cantatas
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Discography

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

: Symphony No. 29 and concertos, * Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, * ''String Serenades'': Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Dvořák, Vaughan Williams,

Josef Suk Josef Suk may refer to: * Josef Suk (composer) (1874–1935), Czech composer and violinist * Josef Suk (violinist) (1929–2011), his grandson, Czech violinist and conductor {{Hndis, Suk, Josef ...

* ''Minimalist'':

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

, John Adams,

Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer known for his contribution to the development of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, a ...

, Dave Heath * '' The Harder They Fall (Original Score)'' (with

Jeymes Samuel Jeymes Samuel (born July 27, 1979), also known by his stage name The Bullitts, is a British singer-songwriter, music producer and filmmaker. His debut album, ''They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories...'', was issued in 2013. ''The Harder They Fa ...

) The LCO has been recorded by Virgin Records and

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations * Music publishing companies: ** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 *** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...

and has been broadcast by

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

and

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

References

External links

LCO web site
{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1921 London orchestras Chamber orchestras 1921 establishments in England EMI Classics and Virgin Classics artists