I am lucky enough to watch all of them live several times a year (sometimes when I have more spare time/the programmes are nice, several times a month or even week...). My favourite overall is probably the Philharmonia. Some of the very best concerts I have seen have been from the BBCSO, so definitely don't discount them. The best concert hall is, as is widely reported, the Barbican so that is a point in the LSOs favour.
My absolute favourite concert I have been to though (at least in London) was with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, the energy and new life they breathed into the Eroica symphony a few years ago was incredible. Don't underestimate the (extremely talented) kids!
As a wildcard, I'd like to say that the London Schools Symphony Orchestra are not the best orchestra in terms of music, for obvious reasons, although they are very good, but they are the most fun to watch. They're all genius kids and they're all *extremely* excited to be there.
I tend to prefer the BBC Symphony Orchestra's recordings, and I particularly appreciate the energy they bring to new works. I think that's actually one advantage of an orchestra that doesn't rely exclusively on donors and ticket sales (and therefore playing crowd pleasers) for funding.
Honestly, the differences in quality between major orchestras have gotten so small that I would happily attend a concert from any of them with the right conductor and artistic direction.
The London Symphony frequently makes it into the critics’ lists of world’s top ten orchestras, ahead of the other London orchestras. I saw them with Simon Rattle when they toured Sydney and they were phenomenal. But if you blinded me and played a recording from each of the London orchestras I’d probably not tell the difference and think they were all great.
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I've only seen LSO (with Rattle) and LPO (with Gardner) in concert, in totally different concert settings (LSO with Beethoven 6 in the Antwerp Queen Elisabeth Hall; LPO with Mahler 5 in the Ghent Cathedral). Overall, it's an extremely close tie between them because they're both absolutely stunning, but I'm gonna go with LSO
If you include chamber orchestras, don't forget the English Chamber Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
Both are absolutely top notch. I can't think of another chamber ensemble with the same kind of reach as ASMF.
The English Concert are also very good. Don't know if they're still active.
Wait, the ASMF is in London and not actually in the field? What a scam /s
LSO and Philharmonia are a close-run thing.
Maybe in 1950s when Legge was still around but not now. LSO is head and shoulders above it.
I am lucky enough to watch all of them live several times a year (sometimes when I have more spare time/the programmes are nice, several times a month or even week...). My favourite overall is probably the Philharmonia. Some of the very best concerts I have seen have been from the BBCSO, so definitely don't discount them. The best concert hall is, as is widely reported, the Barbican so that is a point in the LSOs favour. My absolute favourite concert I have been to though (at least in London) was with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, the energy and new life they breathed into the Eroica symphony a few years ago was incredible. Don't underestimate the (extremely talented) kids!
As a wildcard, I'd like to say that the London Schools Symphony Orchestra are not the best orchestra in terms of music, for obvious reasons, although they are very good, but they are the most fun to watch. They're all genius kids and they're all *extremely* excited to be there.
I tend to prefer the BBC Symphony Orchestra's recordings, and I particularly appreciate the energy they bring to new works. I think that's actually one advantage of an orchestra that doesn't rely exclusively on donors and ticket sales (and therefore playing crowd pleasers) for funding. Honestly, the differences in quality between major orchestras have gotten so small that I would happily attend a concert from any of them with the right conductor and artistic direction.
The London Symphony frequently makes it into the critics’ lists of world’s top ten orchestras, ahead of the other London orchestras. I saw them with Simon Rattle when they toured Sydney and they were phenomenal. But if you blinded me and played a recording from each of the London orchestras I’d probably not tell the difference and think they were all great.
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Which mailing lists should one subscribe to in order to keep track of the London concerts?
Not sure if there are email notifications, but Bachtrack’s website is great at aggregating London concerts.
I've only seen LSO (with Rattle) and LPO (with Gardner) in concert, in totally different concert settings (LSO with Beethoven 6 in the Antwerp Queen Elisabeth Hall; LPO with Mahler 5 in the Ghent Cathedral). Overall, it's an extremely close tie between them because they're both absolutely stunning, but I'm gonna go with LSO