In this month's Gramophone, there's an advertisement and an review of a Barbirolli Society set of Mahler 7 and Nielsen 5, played by the Hallé and BBC Northern Symphony Orchestras. As the recording dates from 1960, the latter orchestra did not actually exist, as it was known as the word "Symphony" hadn't been included in its name at the time.
I knew the name change was later than this, as I used to attend BBC NO Friday Lunchtime Concerts in Manchester Town Hall, risking permanent damage to my lungs as I choked on the orchestra's tobacco smoke during the interval for the One o'clock News. Being a patriotic Northerner at the time, I was pleased that the name was upgraded, and even more pleased when it became the BBC Philharmonic.
Before gloating smugly about my superior knowledge, I tried a search engine to see what information could be gathered. The only history I could find was on Wikipedia, which is often OK on this kind of thing. Not so here:-
The 2ZY Orchestra was formed in 1922 for a Manchester radio station of the same name. It gave the first broadcast performances of many famous English works, including Elgar's Dream of Gerontius and Enigma Variations and Holst's The Planets. The orchestra was part-funded by the British Broadcasting Company (precursor of the BBC), and renamed the Northern Wireless Orchestra in 1926.
When the BBC Symphony Orchestra was established in London in 1930, the new Corporation cut its regional orchestras' funding. The Northern Wireless Orchestra was downsized to just nine players, and renamed the Northern Studio Orchestra.
Three years later, however, the BBC reversed its decision and maintained a full orchestra again - this time called the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra.
This sounds very authoritative, but simply isn't true, with an error of at least 30 years. I managed to discover that it was still the BBC NO in early 1963, but I'm hoping for further information from some knowledgeable forumite. The BBC Scottish became a Symphony orchestra in that year, and I think the Northern Orchestra changed at the same time.
I knew the name change was later than this, as I used to attend BBC NO Friday Lunchtime Concerts in Manchester Town Hall, risking permanent damage to my lungs as I choked on the orchestra's tobacco smoke during the interval for the One o'clock News. Being a patriotic Northerner at the time, I was pleased that the name was upgraded, and even more pleased when it became the BBC Philharmonic.
Before gloating smugly about my superior knowledge, I tried a search engine to see what information could be gathered. The only history I could find was on Wikipedia, which is often OK on this kind of thing. Not so here:-
The 2ZY Orchestra was formed in 1922 for a Manchester radio station of the same name. It gave the first broadcast performances of many famous English works, including Elgar's Dream of Gerontius and Enigma Variations and Holst's The Planets. The orchestra was part-funded by the British Broadcasting Company (precursor of the BBC), and renamed the Northern Wireless Orchestra in 1926.
When the BBC Symphony Orchestra was established in London in 1930, the new Corporation cut its regional orchestras' funding. The Northern Wireless Orchestra was downsized to just nine players, and renamed the Northern Studio Orchestra.
Three years later, however, the BBC reversed its decision and maintained a full orchestra again - this time called the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra.
This sounds very authoritative, but simply isn't true, with an error of at least 30 years. I managed to discover that it was still the BBC NO in early 1963, but I'm hoping for further information from some knowledgeable forumite. The BBC Scottish became a Symphony orchestra in that year, and I think the Northern Orchestra changed at the same time.
.. when I joined the 'BBC Scottish' in the Autumn of 1966, it was already called the 'BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra'.
Comment