London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), founded 1904 by musicians who had left the Queen's Hall Orchestra. Established as a self-governing, profit-sharing cooperative, with members selecting the conductors, it ended profit sharing after World War II in order to receive public funds. Since 1982 the LSO has had its home at the Barbican Centre. Hans Richter, Sir Edward Elgar, and Sir Thomas Beecham are among the LSO's most notable earlier conductors. More recent conductors have included Pierre Monteux (1961–64), Sir André Previn (1968–79), Claudio Abbado (1979–87), Michael Tilson Thomas (1987–94), Sir Colin Davis (1995–2006), Valery Gergiev (2007–15), and Sir Simon Rattle (2017–), and Leonard Bernstein was a frequent conductor in the 1970s and 80s. The London Symphony Orchestra Chorus was established in 1966 to perform in choral works, and an annual New York residency was begun in 1997. Although at times the LSO has been eclipsed by other British orchestras, it is now considered one of finest in the world.
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