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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
28.02.10 (Times - St. John Passion - Barbican)
"the London Symphony Chorus on superb
form."
16.12.09 (musicomh.com - Mahler 2 - Barbican)
"the London Symphony Chorus, singing from
memory, delivered a fervent and moving
contribution to the closing stages of the
finale."
15.12.09 (Times - Mahler 2 - Barbican)
***** review
"with the London Symphony Chorus
hurling out Klopstock's Resurrection Ode,
there were moments when the gates of
Heaven seemed to swing open."
15.12.09 (theartsdesk.com - Mahler 2 - Barbican)
"the resplendent London Symphony Chorus,
first seated and soft, and echoed by the
cellos, then standing and thunderous."
14.12.09 (ClassicalSource.com - Mahler 2 - Barbican)
"The London Symphony Chorus (singing from
memory) was equally assured, the basses
impressively reaching down to the B flat
below the bass clef, the voices of earth -
bird-calls, the receiving heavenly choirs -
all audible in Jansons's painstaking but devoted,
powerful but delicate unfolding of Mahler's
vision of the resurrection. The standing
ovation seemed particularly appropriate."
14.12.09 (Evening Standard - Mahler 2 - Barbican)
***** review
"the London Symphony Chorus in fine voice."
13.12.09 (Mail on Sunday - Otello- Barbican)
"the splendid London Symphony Chorus were
spot-on throughout."
13.12.09 (Observer - Otello - Barbican)
"the unified brilliance and drill of the chorus."
08.12.09 (Financial Times - Otello - Barbican)
"the fresh-voiced London Symphony Chorus,
whose contributions raised the goose bumps
if not the roof."
07.12.09 (Daily Telegraph - Otello - Barbican)
***** Review
"the LSO chorus singing their heart out"
05.12.09 (OperaBritannia.com - Otello - Barbican)
"And the 130-strong chorus just about tested
the Barbican's shallow-bore, low head-room
acoustic to near-destruction. I think the
Hall's ushers are still scraping people's
belongings, and quite possibly some actual
people, off the various back walls . . ."
05.12.09 (Independent - Otello - Barbican)
"the chorus's words as incisive as the piccolo-
lightening strafing the horizon"
05.12.09 (Guardian - Otello - Barbican)
"Colin Davis's conducting . . . seemed to revel in
the sombre colours of the score, and brought a
blazing fierceness to its climaxes, whose
theatricality was vividly reinforced by the
contribution of the London Symphony Chorus."
05.12.09 (classicalsource.com - Otello - Barbican)
"The London Symphony Chorus was on sterling form"
18.10.09 (Mail on Sunday - Music Maker: A Celebration
of Richard Hickox - Barbican)
***** Review
"the LSC on top form . . . an evening to treasure"
24.09.09 (classicalsource.com - Faust Damnation de
Faust - Barbican)
"The London Symphony Chorus was on glorious
and generous form, conjuring up students,
yokels and demons with conviction and
delivering the amazing concluding apotheosis
in fine seraphic style."
15.09.09 (classicalsource.com - Verdi Requiem -
LSO Live)
"The London Symphony Chorus sings with such
presence and immediacy that it sounds as
though its members are performing from
memory."
August 09 (Gramophone Magazine - Verdi Requiem -
LSO Live)
"The work of the LSO Chorus is first-rate"
25.08.09 (Financial Times - Schnittke Nagasaki - Royal
Albert Hall PROM)
"The London Symphony Chorus were iron-lunged."
20.07.09 (classicalsource - Haydn The Creation - LSO Live)
"Davis uses the full might of the well-oiled London
Symphony Chorus . . . immaculately hushed initial
choral entry, the glorious blaze of sound on the
word 'Licht' is, for once, truly awe-inspiring. The
London Symphony Chorus sings magnificently."
03.07.09 (Musicweb - Villa-Lobos Choros No. 10 - Barbican)
"the LSC was on top form."
30.06.09 (Guardian - Villa-Lobos Choros No. 10 - Barbican)
"The London Symphony Chorus launched
themselves at it with winning enthusiasm and
skill."
29.06.09 (Times - Villa-Lobos Choros No. 10 - Barbican)
"the LSO Chorus in pulsating form"
03.05.09 (musicweb.com - MacMillan St. John Passion -
LSO Live)
"The LSO Chorus sings with biting assurance . . .
as the baying mob - is quite magnificent. . . .
they rise to the challenge and sing with
tremendous commitment and assurance."
Spring 09 (HMV Choice - Mahler Symphony No. 2 -
LSO Live)
"a memorable adrenaline-charged, speaker-
rattling conclusion. The impeccable LSO
Chorus are on magnificently expressive form."
23.03.09 (musicweb.com - Beethoven 9 - Royal Festival
Hall)
" . . . the work of the London Symphony Chorus
. . . was, quite simply, stunning."
21.03.09 (Guardian - Beethoven 9 - Royal Festival Hall)
"The London Symphony Chorus was in blazing
form."
19.03.09 (Evening Standard [5 star review] - Beethoven 9
- Royal Festival Hall)
"And then, the finale, an explosion of joy
sweeping all before it. The vast army of the
London Symphony Chorus, in ringing good voice,
sang as if possessed."
13.03.09 (classicalsource.com - Wagner Parsifal Act 3 -
Barbican)
" . . . the men of the Chorus brought savage
dignity as Titurel's pallbearers."
Feb. 09 (International Record Review - MacMillan
St. John Passion - LSO Live)
". . . the larger LSO Chorus delivering
MacMillan's big ideas with full-throated
passion and tremendous dynamic 'slam'."
02.02.09 (musicalcriticism.com - MacMillan St. John
Passion - LSO Live)
" . . . the London Symphony Chorus ultimately
get the thrust of the story and they hurl
themselves at the large and complex textures
with an impressive relish. I admire their
willingness to explore uglier realms of their
voices when the dramatic thrust of the work
demands; the traditional trap of trying to be
too 'singerly' has been mercifully avoided
here."
24.01.09 (Spectator - Verdi Requiem - Barbican)
"The chorus was stunning, whether in
whispered terror or in unrestrained depiction
of the Last Judgment."
14.01.09 (Financial Times - Verdi Requiem -
Barbican)
"the LSO Chorus hoarsely whispered Quantus
tremor est futurus (How great a terror
there will be) creating a palpable frisson
of fear."
14.01.09 (musicweb.com - Verdi Requiem -
Barbican)
"The intensity of the Dies Irae became more
terrifyingly concentrated each time it was
recapitulated and from the opening
pianissimo right through to the Libera Me
at the very end, the London Symphony
Chorus's discipline was a credit to their
coaching under director Joseph Cullen."
13.01.09 (Times - Verdi Requiem - Barbican)
"Whether sighing or seething, Joseph Cullen's
massed troops were on exemplary form;
I've not yet recovered from their full-
throated onslaughts in the Dies Irae,
delivered with cutting consonants and
the heat of hellfire."
13.01.09 (Guardian - Verdi Requiem - Barbican)
"The London Symphony Chorus were
passionate throughout"
12.01.09 (classicalsource.com - Verdi Requiem -
Barbican)
"Verdi's Requiem is one of the rewarding
staples of the choral repertory, the London
Symphony Chorus relishing its chance. The
men were on lusty form and all sections
delivered rich and and full tone. The
whispered intonation of Libera me, Domine
were excellently done."
12.01.09 (Evening Standard - Verdi Requiem -
Barbican)
"For the London Symphony Chorus, on top
form, it was an opportunity to pay a final,
moving tribute to the inspirational Hickox,
choral conductor par excellence."
10.11.08 (musicomh.com - Vaughan Williams - Dona
Nobis Pacem - Royal Festival Hall)
"The choral singing had a visceral energy
and precision that provided the lynchpin of
the whole performance and Hickox paced the
work faultlessly. The sense of foreboding in
the second section, a choral setting of
Whitman's 'Drum Taps', was palpable and
Hickox shaped the entire movement as one
long crescendo from start to finish, with
shattering results."
Nov. 08 (Gramophone - Orff Carmina Burana -
Chandos)
"The choral contribution is excellent
throughout."
Nov. 08 (Gramophone - Beethoven Mass in C -
LSO Live)
"The singing of the LSO Chorus is incandescent
throughout, with high dynamic contrasts so
that the fortissimos hit the ear thrillingly . . .
The Gloria opens with thrilling attack, and
so does the Credo, with dramatic contrasts
for such intimate passages as the 'Et
incarnatus est'."
Nov. 08 (International Record Review - Beethoven
Mass in C - LSO Live)
"High among its merits is the singing of the
LSO Chorus, especially in the splendid 'et
vitam venturi' fugue and with the unaccom-
panied opening of the Sanctus."
28.10.08 (classicalsource.com - Beethoven Mass in C -
LSO Live)
"The chorus is consistently impressive, its large
size - consistent with Davis's overall design -
belied by superb homogeneity and precision
(especially admirable in the fugues)."
16.10.08 (Rocky Mountain News - Verdi Requiem -
Newman Center, Denver, Colorado)
"As one would expect from the Londoners - one
of the world's great ensembles - the choral
passages were sung impeccably. Their
enunciation was ideal, whispered passages
drew listeners in, ecstatic exclamations pinned
them to the backs of their seats."
16.10.08 (Denver Post - Verdi Requiem - Newman Center,
Denver, Colorado)
"The respected English chorus, which previously
traveled to DU in 2006, demonstrated again it
is a polished, first-rate vocal ensemble in every
regard, including its nimble articulation,
unwavering intonation and nuanced dynamic
control.
It provided many standout moments, from its
repeated ghostly enunciations of the opening
words of the work, 'requiem', to its thrillingly
terrifying delivery of the famous begining of
the 'Dies Irae' (Day of Wrath)."
03.10.08 (The Scotsman - Beethoven Mass in C -
LSO Live)
"The real merit in this live recording by the
London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under
Sir Colin Davis, lies in the sheer warmth of
colour of the choral singing . . . Davis elicits
electrifying commitment from the choir, imbuing
the Gloria with a terrifying explosiveness and
the Credo with enough agility of mood to
realise its operatic aspirations."
01.10.08 (musicweb.com - Walton Belshazzar's Feast -
Barbican)
"The performance was magnificent with the LSO
Chorus reveling in the many difficulties in the
music . . . and bringing it off with seeming ease."
29.09.08 (musicomh.com - Walton Belshazzar's Feast -
Barbican)
"With the London Symphony Orchestra and the
LSO Chorus on blazing form and Sir Colin Davis
galvanising the huge assembled forces to go
that extra mile, this Barbican performance was
one that will linger long in the memory . . . Both
played and sang as though possessed and despite
the fact that much of the piece is fff, it requires
pinpoint accuracy from all performers, which it
received here."
25.08.09 (Musical Criticism.com - Beethoven Mass in C -
LSO Live)
"... the London Symphony Chorus raising the roof
with their typical commitment ... The London
Symphony Chorus is one of the cornerstones of
the recording: from the opening murmur of the
unaccompanied basses to the contrapuntal height
of the Gloria, their sensitivity, across-the-board
consistency of quality and clear diction ensures
the highest standards are met."
Sept. 08 (Gramophone - Tippett A Child of our Time -
LSO Live)
[Editor's Choice] ". . I can't believe that any
other recording surpasses this one in the
expressive power with which choral singing and
orchestral playing combine to reinforce the
timeless message of this most history-conscious
work . . . The formidable discipline and
sensitivity of the London Symphony Chorus,
trained by Joseph Cullen, are immediately clear
in the well defined dynamic contrasts of Part
1's first movement. While an impositing weight
of sonority, as in the Spiritual 'Go Down Moses',
can be guaranteed, there is a rare lightness
of articulation in the passage beginning 'We
are as seed before the wind', which returns
in 'Nobody knows the trouble I see'."
17.09.08 (classicalsource.com - Tippett A Child of our
"The London Symphony chorus sings Tippett's
magnificent - and difficult - parts with tight
ensemble and sensitivity; the quiet entries are
utterly magical and much atmosphere is created.
The choral-singers are suitably aggressive in
"The Terror", the start of the pogrom. Tippett's
arrangements of the Spirituals are exquisite
and the soloists and chorus conspire to produce
a most moving reading and guaranteed to make
the hair stand up on the neck."
August 08 (Gramophone - Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini -
LSO Live)
[Editor's Choice] "The chorus is no less
impressive than the orchestra, most notably
in the carnival finale to Act 1, when, as Liszt
remarked, 'for the first time in opera the crowd
speaks with its great roaring voice'."
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 expertly prepared by Joseph Cullen, were thrillingly quiet, lest there be any doubt why they were flown in for the occasion.�
17.10.05 (New York Magazine � Verdi Requiem � Avery Fisher Hall)
�the choral quality at all dynamic levels sounded ravishing�
06.10.05 (Gay City News � Verdi Requiem � Avery Fisher Hall)
�The huge LSO Chorus performed thrillingly at every dynamic level.�
30.09.05 (New York Sun � Verdi Requiem � Avery Fisher Hall)
�The London Symphony Chorus is one of the best in the world, and they sang like it.�
30.09.05 (classicalsource.com � Verdi Requiem � Avery Fisher Hall)
�the choir�s singing was impeccable, stylish, internally balanced, the double chorus of the Sanctus a masterpiece of precision.�
21.09.05 (Times � Sibelius Kullervo � Barbican)
�the men of the LSC in magnificent form�
20.09.05 (Guardian � Sibelius Kullervo � Barbican)
�a blistering performance with the men of the LSO Chorus�
19.09.05 (musicomh.com � Sibelius Kullervo � Barbican)
�the chorus was in rip-roaring form�
19.09.05 (classicalsource.com � Sibelius Kullervo � Barbican)
�excellence from the gents of the LSO Chorus�
03.08.05 (Independent � Berlioz Romeo et Juliette � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus . . . delivered sweeping grandeur.�
01.08.05 (D. Telegraph � Berlioz Romeo et Juliette � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus . . . brought vividness to the text.�
15.07.05 (Guardian � Verdi Requiem � St. Paul�s Cathedral)
�the choral singing was magnificent, above all in the hushed central section of the Sanctus and the rasping, sibilant whispers of the Quantus Tremor.�
27.08.04 (The Star-Ledger � Britten Peter Grimes � Recording)
�Anyone who saw January�s LSO concert performances at Lincoln Center will remember the powerful impression made by the orchestra and chorus . . . the choir embodied the Greek chorus with overwhelming fervor. When the chorus hounded, �Peter Grimes� Peter Grimes� in Act III, it sent shivers down the spine . . . and the LSO chorus is just as alarming on disc.�
04.08.04 (Classical Source � Britten War Requiem � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus was in especially fine fettle, with vivid projection of the text and attention to articulation being notable.�
03.08.04 (Guardian � Britten War Requiem � RAH)
�. . . sung with impressive dedication by the London Symphony Chorus�
03.08.04 (Evening Standard � Brittten War Requiem � RAH)
�The excellent London Symphony Chorus�
09.07.04 (Guardian � Britten Peter Grimes � Recording)
�the LSO Chorus singing as if their lives depended upon it�
09.06.04 (Independent � Mahler Symphony No. 8 � Symphony Hall)
�the City of Birmingham and London Symphony Choruses sang with precision and apparently limitless reserves of physical and emotional stamina.�
27.05.04 (Evening Standard � Mahler Symphony No. 2 � Barbican)
�a superbly disciplined London Symphony chorus for the work�s apocalyptic conclusion � terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure.�
20.04.04 (Classical Source � Bach St. Matthew Passion � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus was in fine form, with the antiphonal effects from the double-choir configuration clear and precise, the turba choruses genuinely thrilling and the chorales sounding as though they were hewn from marble, with the terraced dynamics acting as bass-relief.�
11.04.04 (Mail on Sunday � Elgar The Apostles � Barbican)
�As always, the LSO chorus sang their hearts out�
11.04.04 (S. Telegraph � Elgar The Apostles � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus was in blazing form�
08.04.04 (D. Telegraph � Elgar The Apostles � Barbican)
�the stirring choruses handsomely delivered by the London Symphony Chorus�
07.02.04 (Opera Japonica � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�What a luxury it was to have the full strength of the London Symphony Chorus to drive home the force of community opinion�
27.01.04 (New Yorker � Britten Peter Grimes � Avery Fisher Hall)
�The London Symphony Chorus, like the orchestra, achieved maximum expressive intensity without ever losing control.�
26.01.04 (Musicweb � Britten Peter Grimes � Avery Fisher Hall)
�The London Symphony Chorus, who received a thunderous ovation during the curtain calls, was particularly riveting in the rhythmically treacherous Old Joe has gone fishing (whose innocent title belies its tricky metre). Diction was excellent all afternoon, and some of the more unusual vocal effects stood out, such as the sinister quizzing in Act II when they ask, What is it? What do you suppose? Here they produced sibilant, nasty �ssst� sounds that, helped by Britten�s overlapping vocal lines, blurred the result as if the singers had been transformed into a den of snakes.�
20.01.04 (New York Times � Britten Peter Grimes � Avery Fisher Hall)
�The articulate and dramatically involving singing of the London Symphony Chorus was a reminder that many of Sir Colin�s finest achievements with the orchestra have depended upon these energetic choristers . . . I have never heard such sheer amassed power at Avery Fisher Hall as in the climatic moment of Act III when the entire town vengefully involves the name of Grimes in steely and piercing harmonies.�
19.01.04 (S. Times � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�The impact of the chorus�s baying exclamations of �Peter Grimes� at the start of the manhunt in Act III were thrilling, and the improved Barbican acoustic contained the onslaught of this wonderful chorus in full cry.�
16.01.04 (Musicweb � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus took on the role of the Borough�s townspeople with an innate feeling for the tragedy that is about to unfold. The contrast between the opening chorus � deliberately conceived by Britten to add contrast to the drabness of the community against the coloration of the setting � and the closing chorus, with rampant shouts of �Peter Grimes! Peter Grimes!� were handled superbly.�
16.01.04 (Classical Source � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�The singing of the London Symphony Chorus was just superb � all credit to chorus master Joseph Cullen; diction was unimpeachable and, in full cry, roof-raising.�
13.01.04 (Independent � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus effectively had the big moments all to themselves, and they were thrilling. When the revelry of the village dance turns to hate in Act III and Britten subverts the jolly tune, transforming it into a malevolent chant, we were able to imagine this ugly mob careering towards us.�
13.01.04 (D. Telegraph � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�But for much of the evening the London Symphony Chorus (chorus master: Joseph Cullen) stole the limelight. Each whoop and cry resounded with vernacular vigour, while the harmonies of inn, church and hunt were laid out with illuminating clarity. Grimes as ensemble opera? It seemed so here.�
12.01.04 (Times � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�. . . the chorus itself was tirelessly trained. Not a consonant was out of place, and their lynch-mob baying of Ellen and Peter�s names was horrifying.�
12.01.04 (Evening Standard � Britten Peter Grimes - Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus was also excellent�
02.12.03 (Times � Walton Belshazzar�s Feast � Barbican)
�It could hardly have been better performed: the London Symphony Chorus brings full-throated precision . . .�
02.12.03 (Guardian � Walton Belshazzar�s Feast � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus on exuberant form�
04.11.03 (Times � Bruckner Te Deum � Barbican)
�The chorus sang with exciting sweep and splendid control.�
11.09.03 (S. Times � Berlioz Les Troyens � Symphony Hall)
�The LSO Chorus was in glorious voice�
27.08.03 (Guardian � Berlioz Les Troyens - RAH)
�the London Symphony Chorus, whose sheer involvement and panache would have put any professional chorus to shame.�
26.08.03 (D. Telegraph � Berlioz Les Troyens � RAH)
�The LSO�s magnificent chorus sang their hearts out.�
11.05.03 (S. Telegraph � Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms � Barbican)
�superbly delivered by the London Symphony Chorus)
31.03.03 (Times � Mahler Symphony No. 2 � Barbican)
�the final chorale was cataclysmic, and even more thrilling was the London Symphony Chorus�s pianissimo first entry.�
31.03.03 (Guardian � Mahler Symphony No. 2 � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus is phenomenal�
31.03.03 (Independent � Mahler Symphony No. 2 � Barbican)
�the entry of the LSO Chorus, so hushed and so expectant as to suggest quite literally the first breath of the afterlife � was judged to perfection.�
28.01.03 (Times � Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus was as impressive in the quiet passages as the roof-raising outbursts.�
22.12.02 (Independent on Sunday � Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus also showed great style, keeping well on the beat and well in characters(s).�
18.12.02 (Guardian � Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila � Barbican)
�the vast choral panoplies of the persecuted Hebrews, outstandingly delivered by the London Symphony Chorus�
18.12.02 (Times � Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila � Barbican)
�the LSO Chorus on vivid form�
18.12.02 (S. Telegraph � Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila � Barbican)
�Easily the most satisfying parts of the performance were the contributions of the London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra�
17.12.02 (F. Times � Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila � Barbican)
�The large, terrifically vital LSO chorus sang better French than . .�
17.12.02 (D. Telegraph � Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus on wondrous form�
27.02.02 (Guardian � Walton Belshazzar�s Feast � RFH)
�What really made the evening was the singing of the London Symphony Chorus, shipped into impressive shape by Joseph Cullen. The unaccompanied passages were rock-solid, the sound often thrillingly vibrant � this was a superb performance of a demanding work.�
27.02.02 (D. Telegraph � Walton Belshazzar�s Feast � RFH)
�From the tenors� opening declamation of Isaiah�s prophecy, it was clear that Walton�s insistent triplets and dotted rhythms were never going to scare the London Symphony Chorus and their director Joseph Cullen. Bar after bar, some 200 strong, they sang fortissimo without smudging the notes or losing pitch.�
01.02.02 (S. Times � Walton In Honour of the City of London � Barbican)
�the throbbing a cappella intensity � the LSO Chorus surpassing itself�
01.02.02 (Independent on Sunday � Walton In Honour of the City of London � Barbican)
�For the London Symphony Chorus it was an excellent opportunity to show off their bright blend and rhythmic acuity.�
29.01.02 (Guardian � Walton In Honour of the City of London � Barbican)
�Every section of the London Symphony Chorus came under scrutiny, and each passed the test admirably, with the sopranos preserving enough stamina for a blistering top note in the final line.�
29.01.02 (D. Telegraph � Walton In Honour of the City of London � Barbican)
�After the first half, you wondered if the London Symphony Chorus would have any throats left to perform in Henry V. Following the slender but foot-tapping Capriccio Burlesco, they were called to sing Walton�s cantata of 1937, In Honour of the City of London, not one of the master�s treasures. Superbly drilled by their director Joseph Cullen, they fearlessly barrelled through angular lines and rhythms without end, tongues licked tight round William Dunbar�s text.�
18.10.01 (Birmingham Post � Verdi Requiem - Symphony Hall)
�the ranks of the London Symphony Chorus, their numbers producing a remarkable range of tonal response, from the covered, hushed opening, through rasping, fearful diction in �Quantus tremor est futurus�, to the full-throated anguish for doomed humankind in the Lacrymosa and Libera Me.�
05.05.01 (New York Newsday � Janacek Glagolitic Mass - Lincoln Center)
�At its best � which under Davis is often, the London Symphony keeps rarefied company with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Met Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The London Symphony Chorus, which joined the orchestra for Monday�s concert, belongs at the same table.�
05.05.01 (Times � Janacek Glagolitic Mass � Lincoln Center)
�with the London Symphony Chorus brought over to give a blazing account of the choral part�
28.03.01 (Guardian � Janacek The Eternal Gospel � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus on impressive form�
06.03.01 (D. Telegraph � Dvorak Stabat Mater � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus was attentive to the implications of the words, be they quietly contemplative or climactically assertive.�
06.03.01 (Guardian � Dvorak Stabat Mater � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus sang with characteristic freshness and fervour�
06.03.01 (Financial Times � Dvorak Stabat Mater � Barbican)
�the super-sensitive London Symphony Chorus�
27.01.01 (Spectator � Verdi Requiem � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus was on tremendous form, singing as incisively as they had done in Les Troyens�
23.01.01 (Times � Verdi Requiem � Barbican)
�choral singing of an unusual boldness and clarity. This hardly sounded like an amateur chorus, and with Stephen Westrop�s training it produced singing of hushed control at the opening and clarion precision in the big moments.�
05.12.00 (D. Telegraph � Berlioz Les Troyens - Barbican)
�it is on the London Symphony Chorus that the ultimate accolade should fall. Its members sang as though their lives depended on it.�
05.12.00 (Times � Berlioz Les Troyens � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus is incisive right from the opening bars.�
22.10.00 (S. Telegraph � Berlioz La Damnation de Faust � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus snarled menacingly as demons and sang a wickedly sarcastic requiem and fugue as well as singing superbly as peasants, soldiers and angels.�
17.10.00 (Guardian � Berlioz La Damnation de Faust - Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus sings with supreme intelligence and a sense of bristling excitement�
17.10.00 (Times � Berlioz La Damnation de Faust � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus deserve the next lot of praise. They, after all, have the responsibility for leading and setting each rapidly shifting scene, and their carnival of characterisation � from dancing peasants to pious Christians, from boozers to gnomes, sylphs and soldiers and back again � was as remarkable as was their virtuosity of rhythm and enunciation.�
10.08.00 (Church Times � Mendelssohn Paulus � RAH)
�The star of the evening was the chorus . . . refulgent in the loud passages, they were also capable of great delicacy, and their attack at �Stone him to death� was beyond praise.�
27.02.00 (Independent on Sunday � Mahler Symphony No. 2 � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus were in superb form�
16.01.00 (Observer � Berlioz Romeo et Juliette � Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus sang with a fierce precision�
13.01.00 (Guardian � Berlioz Romeo et Juliette - Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus made every contribution count�
12.12.99 (Independent on Sunday � Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini - Barbican)
�the LSO Chorus crisply alert�
12.12.99 (S. Telegraph � Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini - Barbican)
�the sheer exhilaration of the singing of the London Symphony Chorus � brought smiles of pleasure to the audience�s faces.�
07.12.99 (Times � Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini � Barbican)
�the LSO chorus are at their formidable best�
19.05.99 (D. Telegraph � Verdi Otello � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus would have matched La Scala�s in their stunning attack on the opening storm and the Act 3 ensemble.�
24.04.99 (Spectator � Mozart/Strauss Idomeneo - Barbican)
�The large London Symphony Chorus revelled in the vehemently dramatic interjections which make up so large a part of Mozart�s own version, let alone Strauss�s.�
20.03.99 (Evening Standard � Britten Spring Symphony � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus, crammed onto the stage, sang like professionals, enjoying juicy, unaccompanied discords and whooping like wolves as directed.�
20.03.99 (Times � Britten Spring Symphony � Barbican)
�the strong and variegated voices of the London Symphony Chorus, whose admirable diction reanimated every poem that was theirs.�
16.12.98 (Times � Elgar Dream of Gerontius � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus, prepared by Stephen Westrop, made electrifying contributions in both angelic and demonic guise.�
01.10.98 (Times � Messiaen La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ � Barbican)
�The excellent chorus�
13.09.98 (S. Times � Tippett A Child of Our Time � RAH)
It was hard not to be moved by the wonderfully intense singing of the LSO Chorus in the spirituals.�
07.09.98 (Evening Standard � Tippett A Child of Our Time � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus sang the spirituals as if each member had personal experience of a chain gang.�
15.07.98 (Guardian � Bizet Carmen � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus, on wonderful form, were spine-tingling.�
15.07.98 (Independent � Bizet Carmen � Barbican)
�the LSO Chorus, whose assorted bands of gypsies, soldiers, and cigarette girls (yes, a few fag-ash Lills among the sopranos) were projected with exciting immediacy and amplitude.�
20.02.98 (Evening Standard � Shostakovich Symphony No. 2 � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus brought great clarity of diction to their patriotic text, as they screamed their proletarian enthusiasm for October, the Commune and Lenin.�
01.03.98 (Gramophone � Vaughan Williams Five Tudor Portraits � Recording)
�the London Symphony Chorus launch themselves in splendidly lusty fashion into the ale-soaked narrative�
01.11.97 (Gramophone � Verdi Requiem � Recording)
�with singing infinitely finer than that of Serafin�s Italian chorus�
15.09.97 (Evening Standard � Verdi Requiem � RAH)
�The singing of London Voices and the London Symphony Chorus was stupendous. The power the singers achieved in the recurring Dies Irae seemed to terrify even the orchestra and must have tested the home audience�s speakers.�
29.05.97 (Newbury Weekly News � Elgar Dream of Gerontius � St. Nicolas Church)
�The London Symphony Chorus was superb in both semi-chorus and in full, from their first quiet prayer, Kyrie eleison, Holy Mary to the earthy, debased Demons Chorus and the inspired singing of the great hymn, Praise to the Holiest in the Height.�
23.02.97 (S. Times � Britten War Requiem � Recording)
�overwhelming in the great choral climaxes�
11.02.97 (Independent � Brahms Centenary Series � Barbican)
�notable for the magnificent singing of the London Symphony Chorus . . . the chorus again showed us its matchless command of colour, attack and expression.�
20.12.96 (D. Express � Carol Concerts � Barbican)
�one of the world�s pre-eminent choirs�
26.11.96 (Guardian � Sibelius Kullervo � Barbican)
�the choral singing makes your hair stand on end.�
25.09.96 (Independent � Elgar Weekend � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus sang without spot or blemish�
01.09.96 (Classic CD � Verdi Requiem � Recording)
�Reason enough for buying this disc is the superb contribution from the London Symphony Chorus, quite the best on disc in terms of attack, sonority, dynamics and clarity of text since the Philharmonia Chorus�s for Giulini in 1964. For example, listen to the Sanctus which is hair-raisingly exciting without resorting to overdrive; then switch to the Lux Aeterna for some of the most ethereal choral pianissimos imaginable.�
15.04.96 (Eastern Daily Press � Sacred Music � Norwich Cathedral)
�Glorious power and impressive control were the hallmarks of the programme of 19th century sacred music performed by the renowned London Symphony Chorus�
07.04.06 (S. Telegraph � Britten Peter Grimes � Recording)
�The London Symphony Chorus is magnificent�
05.04.96 (Guardian � Britten Peter Grimes � Recording)
�singing from the London Symphony Chorus even more sharply disciplined than that of Covent Garden�
18.03.96 (Evening Standard � Bruckner Te Deum � RFH)
�The 250 voices of the London Symphony Chorus rang out like the host of cherubim and seraphim�
10.12.95 (La Stampa � Elgar Dream of Gerontius � Turin)
�the remarkable London Symphony Chorus . . . a body worthy of the highest British choral tradition� (trans. by Simon Bainbridge)
05.11.95 (Observer � Berlioz Romeo et Juliette � Barbican)
�Stephen Westrop�s famous London Symphony Chorus was in blazing, beautiful voice�
24.10.95 (Times � Berlioz Romeo et Juliette - Barbican)
�admirably precise and stylish singing from the London Symphony Chorus and particularly the tenors whom Berlioz cruelly directs towards regions rarely known to man�
22.10.95 (S. Times � Maxwell Davies Three Kings � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus, trained by Stephen Westrop, rose to the music�s demands with palpable commitment, thrilling tonal command and verbal precision.�
11.07.95 (Times � Verdi Requiem � Barbican)
�The magnificent London Symphony Chorus is the star.�
12.04.95 (Times � Mahler Eighth Symphony � RAH)
�A massively augmented London Symphony Chorus and the bright toned Southend Boys� Choir sang with lust and discipline, their rhythms generally taut, their intonation and sturdiness of tone, even of the high tenors, nigh faultless.�
04.03.95 (D. Telegraph � Tippett The Mask of Time � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Sir Colin Davis, brought off a terrific performance of this exceptionally difficult score.�
14.12.94 (Times � Elgar Dream of Gerontius - Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus sang nigh impeccably, whether as rasping devils or sweetly boyish angels�
04.12.94 (Observer � Mozart Idomeneo � Barbican)
�The LSO Chorus was on brilliant form.�
31.01.94 (Opera � Berlioz Les Troyens � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus were in magnificently confident form, both in large and small things. In Part 1 the Trojan women went to their self-inflicted doom in almost hypnotic unison.�
06.12.93 (Times � Berlioz Les Troyens - Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus, in glorious voice was unencumbered by the need to clamber and pose around a stage, and instead played the crowd scenes with a power, energy, confidence and accuracy one would not think possible from amateurs Stephen Westrop, the chorus master, must have worked them extremely hard, but how thrillingly they responded.�
01.12.93 (Gramophone � Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem � Recording)
�As ever, the contribution of the London Symphony Chorus excitingly combines full-throated discipline and sensitivity to nuance�
09.10.93 (Times � Mozart Requiem � Barbican)
�the excellent delivery of the choir, agile and incisive in the polyphonic passages, and clearly thoroughly prepared.�
19.06.93 (D. Telegraph � Brahms Deutsche Requiem - Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus confirmed its status as the capital�s best symphonic choir.�
23.03.93 (Times � Britten War Requiem � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus sang with strength and sensitive control�
21.03.93 (S. Telegraph � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�But the chorus is virtually the protagonist and the London Symphony Chorus was in excellent voice, chilling the blood with its yells of �Peter Grimes� as the manhunt meets for the kill.�
17.03.93 (D. Telegraph � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
Rostropovich �encouraging from the LSO and the London Symphony Chorus playing and singing unlike anything we have heard in Britten�s opera before�
16.03.93 (Times � Britten Peter Grimes � Barbican)
�the excellence of the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus was the ballast of the performance.�
02.02.93 (Guardian � Elgar Light of Life � Barbican)
��Hickox drew incandescent sounds from the London Symphony Chorus in the big climaxes.�
11.01.93 (D. Express � Orff Carmina Burana � Barbican)
�a performance of great warmth and skill from the London Symphony Orchestra and its excellent chorus�
08.01.93 (Independent � Orff Carmina Burana - Barbican)
�The singing of the London Symphony Chorus possessed the attack of a cannonade and achieved the most jubilant sonority�
17.10.92 (Times � Elgar Caractacus � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus delivered a mighty performance�
01.10.92 (Gramophone � Britten War Requiem � Recording)
[Best Choral Recording Award]
Richard Hickox �both his London Symphony Chorus and boys� choir sing with attentive zeal and convinced sincerity�
07.07.92 (Independent � Tippett A Child of Our Time - Barbican)
�the London Symphony Chorus in passionate form�
22.05.92 (Aftenposten � Missa per Rossini � Bergen)
�The London Symphony Chorus is worth a chapter in itself.� (trans. by Simon Bainbridge)
16.01.92 (Jerusalem Post � Poulenc Gloria � Jerusalem)
�The London Symphony Chorus projected its message of hope and supplication in lyrical, well-articulated choral colors.�
07.01.92 (Jerusalem Post � Liturgica �91 [3 concerts]� Jerusalem)
�The visiting London Symphony Chorus performed everything with such assurance, clarity and purposeful dedication that one accepted their interpretations as a fact of nature.�
07.11.91 (Guardian � Britten War Requiem � Recording)
�the most incisive choral singing of all from the London Symphony Chorus�
01.10.91 (Guardian � Debussy Le Martyre de Saint-Sebastien � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus were splendidly focused here, as throughout.�
14.07.91 (S. Times � Verdi Requiem � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus in cracking form . . . the meticulous drilling of the choir paid off in secure, sharply accented entries that positively bounced on the surface of the orchestral texture.�
28.03.91 (F. Times � Verdi Requiem � Barbican)
�The choir�s precision and clarity of syllabic utterance and instant manufacture of dramatic expectancy in the Gradual were a startling and affecting achievement: massed choral singing seldom boasts such accuracy and authority.�
14.12.89 (D. Telegraph � Bernstein Candide � Barbican)
�Throughout the London Symphony Chorus contributed with state-of-the-art precision and panache.�
14.12.89 (Guardian � Bernstein Candide � Barbican)
�the incandescent singing of the London Symphony Chorus, at a hundred-strong raising the roof in the big ensembles.�
02.11.89 (Times � Berlioz La Damnation de Faust � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus was in excellent form, with clarity and close-knit ensemble whether as peasants, drinkers, soldiers or students, ending with beautifully blended soft singing for the apotheosis in Heaven.�
09.05.89 (Guardian � Rimsky-Korsakov Mlada - Barbican)
�Chorus in searing form, relishing their night out.�
04.02.89 (Times � Elgar Dream of Gerontius � Recording)
�Best of all, however, is the London Symphony Chorus�s vividly dramatic singing; it almost manages to lift the Demons� Chorus out of melodrama and into the realm of real terror.�
22.09.88 (D. Telegraph � Schubert Mass in E flat major � Barbican)
�With no solo-writing until the Credo, this is first and foremost a choral Mass setting, and the LSC properly established itself in the musical foreground, dramatically launching the Gloria, for example, with its thrilling unaccompanied cry of jubilation. Mr Hickox kept the chorus taut: its entries were precise, the fugal textures clearly and forcefully projected.�
01.03.88 (Guardian � Mendelssohn Elijah � Barbican)
�the star of the show was the London Symphony Chorus, which easily and sweetly subdivided into Angel double quartets, and reunited for a weighty account of the pleading priests of Baal, grippingly conducted. Choral contrasts is a favourite game, and the LSC � very well trained by Simon Joly � revelled in the full range of colour and volume.�
15.02.88 (D. Telegraph � Elgar Dream of Gerontius � Barbican)
�Well trained by Richard Hickox, who conducted the performance, the chorus was also brutish and rhythmically precise in its demonic �low-born clods� and adopted an ominous profundity for the priests� and assistants� �Go forth upon thy journey, Christian soul�.�
14.11.87 (Guardian � Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky � Barbican)
�The London Symphony Chorus were in splendid form throughout, rising to a peak of exhilaration in their final celebration of victory.�
27.03.87 (Times � Beethoven Mass in C � Barbican)
�Although the idea of a twenty-first birthday concert seems a shade dubious, there could be few reservations about celebrating the London Symphony Chorus�s continued prosperity. On its night, and especially at the Barbican (where, like fixtures in some animated Hoffnung cartoon, 200 singers must squash comically onto those somewhat inadequate choir stalls) the LSC can produce a forte so useful in tone, yet so punchy in impact, that it knocks one between the eyes. This was its night in every sense. There were passages in Beethoven�s Mass in C which bubbled with the combination of confidence, exuberance and uninhibited expression that only well-trained amateurs achieve: the great acclamations of Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, the fugal Et Vitam Venturi (cohesive and crystalline at a rattling tempo), the top Cs that end the Hosannas. In contrast to these full-throated outbursts, the opening of the Sanctus had almost a Chapel-choir sort of purity. And the Agnus Dei revealed another facet of the choir�s responsiveness: a sudden drop to whisper, urgent and startling, on the repeated intonations of �Miserere�.
04.02.85 (Guardian � Mendelssohn Hymn of Praise � Barbican)
�the choral singing irreproachable in its full-bodied advocacy�
04.09.84 (D. Telegraph � Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony � RAH)
�The London Symphony Chorus was constantly and often thrillingly alert to Whitman�s and Vaughan Williams�s �restless explorations�.�
07.05.82 (Times � Stravinsky Oedipus Rex � RFH)
�but the work of the London Symphony Chorus was also magnificent in its exactness. They spat out their pronouncements and implorings, and persuaded one that Stravinsky really did, as he said, compose with sounding syllables and not meaningful words.�
