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The London Symphony Chorus has achieved international acclaim both in concerts and on record.

"The supreme soloist of the evening though was the London Symphony Chorus."

Hilary Finch, The Times 15/12/05 (Dream of Gerontius, Barbican)

Reviews

13.07.08 (musicweb.com - Mahler - Symphony No. 8

- St. Paul's Cathedral)

"It was left to the choruses to provide the

hugely uplifting 'Chorus Mysticus' . . and

they did not disappoint."

04.07.08 (MusicalCriticism.com - Tippett - A Child

of our Time - LSO Live)

"This is a work which relies heavily on choral

forces, and the London Symphony Chorus

seems to savour every minute of the piece.

From the very start, when they sing 'The

world turns on its dark side. / It is winter',

you really believe every word. The chorus'

diction is exemplary, and the strength of

the individual sections allows for all kinds of

inner shadings of dynamics and tone colours."

02.06.08 (Daily Telegraph - Vaughan Williams A Sea

Symphony - Royal Festival Hall)

"The London Symphony Chorus were on

marvellous form"

27.05.08 (Times - Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony -

Royal Festival Hall)

"Forceful and visionary, the early choral Sea

Symphony is another work to blow away

cliches, especially when 193 voices of the

London Symphony Chorus, salty and exuberant,

swell Whitman's 'vastnesses of Space'."

04.05.08 (Observer - MacMillan St. John Passion -

Barbican)

"MacMillan's writing made huge demands on

the London Symphony Chorus, but they sang

with distinction, producing some inspiring sound,

particularly in the ravishing tone clusters of

the opening pages. Chief credit for the night's

success should go to Joseph Cullen, the

LSC's director."

04.05.08 (Sunday Times - MacMillan St. John Passion -

Barbican)

"the choral singing was astounding."

29.04.08 (Times - MacMillan St. John Passion - Barbican)

"The London Symphony Chorus were tested

hard, but emerged victorious."

28.04.08 (Evening Standard - MacMillan St. John Passion -

Barbican)

"the LSO Chorus in splendid voice"

23.04.08 (MusicalCriticism.com - Mahler 2 - Barbican)

"The LSO Chorus was in glorious voice and

egged on more and more by Gergiev they

joined with the orchestra to produce an

enormous, brilliant and overwhelming

sound. The pure, visceral thrill of the final

bars, greeted with an enthusiastic ovation

from the packed audience, crowned a very

fine performance of this great work."

21.04.08 (Evening Standard - Mahler 2 - Barbican)

"The LSO Chorus, full-bodied and expertly

drilled, sang without scores, voices blending

as one."

07.04.08 (classicalsource.com - Tippett A Child of our

Time - Royal Albert Hall)

"excellence from the London Symphony

Chorus . . . The moment when the choir

enters with the spiritual 'Steal Away' following

the soprano's words 'How can I comfort them

when I am dead?' is in the pantheon of

sublime musical moments and here brought

tears to at least one pair of eyes."

01.04.08 (Independent - Britten Spring Symphony -

Barbican)

" . . . the London Symphony Chorus delivering

their a cappella banishment of wintry night

with terrific unanimity."

31.03.08 (classicalsource.com - Britten Spring Symphony -

Barbican)

" . . . the London Symphony Chorus immediately

catching the air with singing of wide-ranging

dynamics and meticulous staccatos reminding

of dripping water (and later, some remarkably

hushed contributions.)"

03.03.08 (Evening Standard - Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky -

Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus chewed every

Slavic syllable with audible relish."

26.02.08 (classicalsource.com - Shostakovich Babi Yar -

Barbican)

"The oppressive might of the male voices of

the London Symphony Chorus . . . The men

of the LSC were in fine form. The words were

a miracle of clarity of diction, the ensemble a

continual source of wonder."

13.02.08 (Times - Janacek Glagolitic Mass - Barbican)

"But they [LSO] were pipped by the dazzle of

the London Symphony Chorus, and their

director Joseph Cullen. In all Glagolitic

performances, live or on disc, I have never

heard such bright, light, rhythmic articulation.

And if they weren't native speakers of Old

Church Slavonic - the Mass's liturgical

language - they certainly fooled me."

12.02.08 (classicalsource.com - Janacek Glagolitic Mass -

Barbican)

"The London Symphony Chorus ... produced

an impressive range of tone, at times thrilling

in its corporate attack, at others very moving

in its hushed response to the conductor's

total control of this difficult work."

11.02.08 (musicomh.com - Janacek Glagolitic Mass -

Barbican)

"The London Symphony Chorus were on top

form here, not brushing over the incongruities

of their vocal lines, but indeed relishing them."

09.01.08 (Seen and Heard - performances of the year)

Haydn - The Creation - Barbican

"[Colin Davis's] magnificent London Symphony

Chorus outstripped all rivals."

Tippett - A Child of our Time - Barbican

"One of the highlights of this concert was the

London Symphony Chorus's singing of these

spirituals. The ghost of Paul Robeson seemed

to hover over them as they drove the songs at

the audience, appositely heartfelt, powerful

and demanding, while being truly spiritual."

17.12.07 (Evening Standard - Tippett A Child of our Time -

Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus in fine voice"

11.12.07 (Financial Times - Britten Billy Budd - Barbican)

"The thrill owed much to the men of the London

Symphony Chorus, as sensitive in 'Blow Her Away'

as in the softer passages."

10.12.07 (Guardian - Britten Billy Budd - Barbican)

"the men of the London Symphony Chorus sang as

if their lives depended on it."

22.10.07 (classicalsource.com - Haydn The Creation - Avery

Fisher Hall, New York)

"A great credit to director, Joseph Cullen, the

London Symphony Chorus again distinguished itself

with impeccable precision, clear diction and

perfect blend. It was very obvious that Sir Colin

Davis enjoyed working with this wonderful group."

19.10.07 (New York Sun - Mozart Requiem - Avery Fisher

Hall, New York)

"The London Symphony Chorus performed with the

professionalism for which it has long been known."

19.10.07 (New York Times - Mozart Requiem - Avery Fisher

Hall, New York)

"The London Symphony Chorus (directed by

Joseph Cullen) sang with dignity, fortitude and

robust sound."

09.10.07 (classicalsource.com - Haydn The Creation -

Barbican)

"The excellence of the London Symphony Chorus

cannot be too highly emphasised. Entries were

secure; there was power and vigour aplenty and -

most importantly - impeccable delivery of the

German text. The music sounded fresh and vital -

as it is, of course, in essence."

03.10.07 (classicalsource.com - Mozart Requiem - Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus was in magnificent

form - intonation, corporate attack and response

to Sir Colin's subtleties were truly exceptional - "

01.10.07 (MusicalCriticism.com - Mozart Requiem - Barbican)

"The London Symphony Chorus was in exceptional

voice. In the 'Kyrie', their ability

to weave the long contrapuntal ines into a lucid

texture propelled the movement forward; the 'Dies

Irae' was incisive and thrilling, showing a sense of

how dissonance colours the words; the adherence

to the growing dynamics in the 'Rex Tremendae'

enhanced the dramatic impact and drew in the

listener; and more than anything, we really felt

the agony of the flames being evoked by the

'Confutatis'."

16.07.07 (classicalsource.com - Berlioz Grande Messe des

Morts - St. Paul's Cathedral)

"Throughout, the choruses were on top-form, the

clarity of the singing evident both in subdued

and commanding moments."

16.07.07 (Guardian - Berlioz Grande Messe des Morts -

St. Paul's Cathedral)

"The choral singing . . . had a ferocious dignity"

01.07.07 (musicomh.com - Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini -

Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus was simply

magnificent."

28.06.07 (Times - Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini - Barbican)

"the excellent London Symphony Chorus."

18.06.07 (Times - Prokofiev October Cantata - Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus, soaring through

Communist Party bromides with the

unembarrassed panache of Young Pioneers.

Wonderful."

05.06.07 (musicomh.com - Elgar Dream of Gerontius -

Barbican)

"the contribution of the chorus, whether as

demons or angels, was faultless. Indeed, I

don't mind admitting that the climax to Praise

to the Holiest in the Height brought a tear to

my eye."

05.06.07 (classicalsource.com - Elgar Dream of Gerontius -

Barbican)

"The London Symphony Chorus delivered its

lines with crystal-clear clarity. A radiant

account of 'Praise to the Holiest' evoked the

glory of God and His presence perfectly."

04.06.07 (Evening Standard - Elgar Dream of Gerontius -

Barbican)

"the big choral acclamations (the London

Symphony Chorus on fine form) were properly

thrilling"

20.05.07 (S. Telegraph - Debussy Nocturnes - Barbican)

"a masterly display of choral perspectives

from the Ladies of the London Symphony

Chorus".

18.05.07 (Guardian - Stravinsky Oedipus Rex - Barbican)

"the men of the London Symphony Chorus

responding magnificently."

17.05.07 (classicalsource.com - Stravinsky Oedipus Rex

- Barbican)

"The Gentlemen of the London Symphony

Chorus sang with vigour, projecting with ease

in the immediate acoustic of the Barbican

Hall."

17.05.07 (Times - Stravinsky Oedipus Rex - Barbican)

"[Simon Callow] and the male voices of the

London Symphony Chorus were the heroes

of this antihero tragedy. . . . as they greeted

the arrival of Queen Jocasta, the choral

voices shone as gold as the horns, brass

and cymbals."

16.05.07 (Independent - Stravinsky Oedipus Rex -

Barbican)

"the Chorus was on superb form."

15.05.07 (musicalcriticism.com - Stravinsky Oedipus Rex

- Barbican)

"The real vocal stars, though, were the

Gentlemen of the London Symphony Chorus.

Their barnstorming rendition of the central

'Gloria' was especially striking and, as is

often the case with them, belied their

voluntary status."

14.05.07 (musicomh.com - Stravinsky Oedipus Rex -

Barbican)

"the men of the London Symphony Chorus,

on top, top form"

02.04.07 (Guardian - Prokofiev Seven They are Seven -

Barbican)

"the first-rate London Symphony Chorus"

01.04.07 (Observer - Prokofiev Seven They are Seven -

Barbican)

"a choir that can tackle its fiendishly difficult

vocal writing.... a performance full of drama

and interest"

13.03.07 (Independent - Mahler 2 - Barbican)

" . . . once the Last Trump had sounded and

the LSO Chorus had breathtakingly breathed life

into the closing hymn, it was onwards and

upwards; and the sky was no longer the limit."

29.01.07 (Evening Standard - Adams On the

Transmigration of Souls - Barbican)

"expertly sung by the London Symphony Chorus"

28.01.07 (Sunday Times - Stravinsky King of the Stars -

Barbican)

"the men of the LSO Chorus were on their

mettle ... spitting out Konstantin Belmont's text

with impressive clarity and doing their utmost

to show Gergiev that they can sing the Russian

repertoire with as much fervour as a native choir."

28.01.07 (Ind on Sunday - Stravinsky King of the Stars -

Barbican)

"the fearlessness of the London Symphony

Chorus's first tenors"

16.01.07 (musicomh.com - Beethoven Fidelio - LSO live)

"The London Symphony Chorus sings with its

usual gusto, particularly uplifting in the

Prisoners' Chorus; yet again, I could not believe

that this is not a professional choir."

10.01.07 (Independent - Britten War Requiem - Birmingham)

"The London Symphony Chorus showed great

dynamic contrast and vocal agility."

09.01.07 (Times - Britten War Requiem - St. Paul's Cathedral)

"The London Symphony Chorus was magnificently

alert."

20.10.06 (Denver Post - Rossini Stabat Mater - Denver)

"they delivered a performance that emphatically

demonstrated why they are world class. (Verdi's

Pater Noster) came as close to perfection as

anyone is likely to hear, with impeccable intonation,

sensitive dynamics, unerring precision, and perhaps

most important, beautifully blended sound with

depth and dimension."

09.10.06 (HMV Choice Mag - Beethoven 9 - LSO live)

"The LSO Chorus is on fire and the finale's Ode to

Joy builds to an ecstatic peroration"

09.10.06 (HMV Choice Mag - Elgar Dream of Gerontius -

LSO live)

"propelled by the superb LSO Chorus."

04.09.06 (musicomh.com - Beeethoven 9 - LSO live)

"there's a huge plus in the London Symphony

Chorus: they sing like the greatest professional

choir on the planet. Their enthusiasm is infectious,

even on record, and are unusual in their

consistency in all four vocal sections. The

gentlemen are at their best in the Turkish music,

singing with muscle, whilst the ladies scale the

heights of the canonic statements of the

"Ode to Joy" theme near the end with remarkable

agility."

01.09.06 (Times - Beethoven 9 - LSO live)

"marvel at the open throats of the London

Symphony Chorus."

04.08.06 (Guardian - Elgar Dream of Gerontius - LSO live)

"The LSO Chorus is magnificent."

24.07.06 (musicomh.com - Walton Belshazzar's Feast -

Royal Albert Hall)

"The opening chorus got the piece off to an

excellent start: dispensing temporarily with their

scores, the tenors and basses focussed on

Hickox's detailed direction and pointed every

word with care in this unaccompanied section.

The sopranos were excellent in the 'Babylon'

episode, while the closing three stanzas

approached the mind-blowing in terms of

intensity."

24.07.06 (musicomh.com - Elgar Dream of Gerontius -

LSO live)

"As descendants of the English choral tradition

we want to be overwhelmed by the power of

massed voices in this work, and the LSC does

not disappoint. The words are splendidly

pointed, whilst the coordination and balance

of the ensemble, particularly in 'Praise to the

Holiest', are admirable."

16.06.06 (Independent - Shostakovich 3 - Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus sang their

terrifying ode with exactness and fervour."

06.06.06 (Times - Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony -

Barbican)

". . . thrilled to the LS Chorus's rippling vocal

muscle, robust enunciation, and to the might

of Hickox's might."

05.06.06 (Evening Standard - Vaughan Williams A Sea

Symphony - Barbican)

"The chorus, rehearsed by Joseph Cullen,

was on rousing form throughout, and soon

swung into the undulating foam with the

LSO and Hickox in equally vigorous pursuit."

04.06.06 (Mail on Sunday - Beethoven Fidelio - Barbican)

"the LSO Chorus singing with such ardour

that the soloists gave them a standing

ovation."

26.05.06 (Guardian - Beethoven Fidelio - Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus on

thrilling form"

25.05.06 (Financial Times - Beethoven Fidelio -

Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus nearly stole

the show."

24.05.06 (Evening Standard - Beethoven Fidelio -

Barbican)

"the LSO chorus was strong and moving."

07.05.06 (Sunday Times - Beethoven 9 - Barbican)

"the LSO Chorus rose to the stars"

02.05.06 (Guardian - Beethoven 9 - Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus were the

stars, singing from memory and with

ferocious conviction."

02.05.06 (Times - Beethoven 9 - Barbican)

"an exultant London Symphony Chorus"

01.05.06 (musicomh.com - Beethoven 9 - Barbican)

"The gentlemen of the London Symphony

Chorus were in particularly good voice,

although the sopranos also impressed in

their effortless climb to the sustained

notes of the movement. The Chorus sang

from memory, and the resultant freedom

paid off in the clarity of sound and focus

of purpose."

24.03.06 (Financial Times - Rossini Stabat Mater -

Barbican)

"the London Symphony Chorus was fully

charged up and its final, furious cries of

'Amen' were enough to chill the blood."

24.03.06 (Independent - Rossini Stabat Mater -

Barbican)

"the massed LSO chorus was in particularly

strong and focused form"

22.03.06 (classicalsource.com - Rossini Stabat Mater -

Birmingham Symphony Hall)

"The LS Chorus ... was inspired, thrilling in

its declamation and always finely honed

(and tuned) in the a cappella passages."

22.03.06 (Birmingham Post - Rossini Stabat Mater -

Birmingham Symphony Hall

"in choral terms, most exciting performance.

The opening was wonderfully dolorous,

the huge London Symphony Chorus . . .

producing a superbly balanced, 'finished'

tone, gloriously effulgent at full throttle

yet delicately burnished in the quieter

passages. Much later the Quando Corpus

Morietur displayed impeccably nuanced

control and tonal beauty, and the

final Amen chorus came over stupendously

well - a textbook example of thrilling choral

counterpoint and brilliant execution."

01.03.06 (Times - Beethoven Mass in C - Barbican)

"... the very emotive protestations of an

exceptionally responsive London Symphony

Chorus."

27.02.06 (musicomh.com - Beethoven Mass in C -

Barbican)

"The London Symphony Chorus was in even

better form than in last week's Missa Solemnis

. . . with a full grasp of the technical as well

as spiritual aspects of the work."

24.02.06 (Guardian - Beethoven Missa Solemnis -

Barbican)

"The choral singing throughout was thrilling

and extreme"

21.02.06 (Times – Beethoven Missa Solemnis – Barbican)

“The LSO Chorus had been schooled to

articulate with fiery energy … the singing

of the chorus was outstanding.”

21.02.06 (classicalsource.com – Beethoven Missa

Solemnis – Barbican)

“The LSO Chorus was responsive to the music

in all its blazing energy and inward

vulnerability – a tribute to the expertise of

Joseph Cullen”

18.12.05 (Observer – Elgar Dream of Gerontius – Barbican)

“the glorious LSO choir … were the stars”

15.12.05 (Times – Elgar Dream of Gerontius – Barbican)

“The supreme soloist of the evening, though was the LSO Chorus. Superbly trained by Joseph Cullen, the singers pealed forth their Praise to the Holiest as though from the vault of highest Heaven.”

15.12.05 (Guardian – Elgar Dream of Gerontius – Barbican)

“The choral singing, thrilling in its immediacy and clarity, can only be described as electrifying from start to finish.”

13.12.05 (classicalsource.com – Elgar Dream of Gerontius – Barbican)

“the LSC’s contribution was well nigh ideal, with individual entries secure and the whole sounding satisfyingly full-bodied. The Semi-Chorus was drawn from its ranks – not, as so often, from a separate group – and the individual lines were sensitively rendered. … The blazing climax of Praise to the Holiest was absolutely thrilling.”

12.12.05 (musicomh.com – Elgar Dream of Gerontius – Barbican)

“the excellent London Symphony Chorus, who blazed through the massive edifice of Gerontius with spark and polish.”

19.10.05 (Seen and Heard Int. – Sibelius Kullervo – Avery Fisher Hall)

“The men of the London Symphony Chorus, fresh from the Verdi Requiem two nights earlier, acquitted themselves with even more honor here, singing in Finnish as if they do it every night of the week. Their robust, hearty tone had a gravity that perfectly suited the piece.”

19.10.05 (Seen and Heard Int. – Verdi Requiem – Avery Fisher Hall)

“Verdi’s prayerful opening, the Requiem and Kyrie, was a pianissimo marvel, often in short supply these days. The terrific London Symphony Chorus, over one hundred strong and ex