Page "London Symphony Orchestra" Paragraph 21

To try to raise its own standards, the LSO had engaged Mengelberg, a famous orchestral trainer, known as a perfectionist.

He made it a precondition that the deputy system must be abandoned, which occurred in 1929.

He conducted the orchestra for the 1930 season, and music critics commented on the improvement in the playing.

Nonetheless, as patently the third-best orchestra in London, the LSO lost work it had long been used to, including the Covent Garden seasons, the Royal Philharmonic Society concerts and the Courtauld-Sargent concerts.

The orchestra persuaded Sir Hamilton Harty, the popular conductor of the Hallé Orchestra, to move from Manchester to become the LSO's principal conductor.

Harty brought with him eight of the Hallé's leading players to replenish the LSO's ranks, depleted by defections to the BBC and Beecham.

Critics including Neville Cardus recognised the continued improvement in the LSO's playing: " On this evening's hearing the London Symphony Orchestra is likely, after all, to give its two rivals a gallant run.

Under Sir Hamilton it will certainly take on a style of sincere expression, distinguished from the virtuoso brilliance cultivated by the B. B. C.

Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Beecham.

" Among the milestones on the orchestra's path to recovery were the premieres of Walton's Belshazzar's Feast ( 1930 ) and First Symphony ( 1934 ), showing the orchestra " capable of rising to the challenge of the most demanding contemporary scores " ( Morrison ).