Orchestra Pseudonym

[Alain Maréchal]

I am exploring my LP collection with a special regard for some of the older ones. I see the name "New Symphony Orchestra of London" frequently. I know that it is a pseudonym, but could one of those "in the know" tell me if it was an ad hoc body, or a particular orchestra in disguise?

(There is some entertainment value in this. By checking the dates I see that in one particular week RCA/RD recorded the RPO in one hall, but it would appear on the Thursday they moved out and another orchestra moved in, with the reverse occurring on the Friday).

[Hornspieler]

I am exploring my LP collection with a special regard for some of the older ones. I see the name "New Symphony Orchestra of London" frequently. I know that it is a pseudonym, but could one of those "in the know" tell me if it was an ad hoc body, or a particular orchestra in disguise?

(There is some entertainment value in this. By checking the dates I see that in one particular week RCA/RD recorded the RPO in one hall, but it would appear on the Thursday they moved out and another orchestra moved in, with the reverse occurring on the Friday).

The National Symphony Orchestra was a pseudonym used by DECCA for an orchestra of available musicians drawn from an assortment of top class players and freelance musicians from all the London Based orchestras.

The "fixer" or "factotum" was Jack Simmonds and the Leader was usually Tony English.

Recordings attributed to "The New Symphony Orchestra" was EMI's version of the same players. The fixer was probably Charlie Katz.

I played at times with both of the assembled orchestras.

HS


Note: The fixer or factotum goes back many years. Their duty was to engage the players for a recording session (in agreement with the conductor of course) and pay them in cash at the end of the session. They were often themselves playing for the session, so how did we know who to approach for what was sometimes known as "the conkers on the counter"?

He used to identify himself by wearing brown leather spats on his footwear.

The Orchestral Players Association in Archer Street will never be the same!.

[Alain Maréchal]

Thank you HS. My only query would be that the records I am looking at are Reader's Digest issues from England which I understood were recorded by Decca (or RCA) - they have the appearance and feel of Decca records rather than EMI, and are labelled "New SO" not "National SO".

(ps - Samuel Barber conducted the "New" SO for Decca)

[richardfinegold]

Thank you HS. My only query would be that the records I am looking at are Reader's Digest issues from England which I understood were recorded by Decca (or RCA) - they have the appearance and feel of Decca records rather than EMI, and are labelled "New SO" not "National SO".

(ps - Samuel Barber conducted the "New" SO for Decca)

Stowkowski made some great recordings with the National Philharmonic. I just listened to the Bizet disc coupling the Carmen and L'Arlesiane Suites last week. Vividly recorded as well.
Over here the 'Columbia Symphony' that Bruno Walter made many of his last recordings had 2 incarnations, an East Coast and a West Coast band. The L.A. Phil and freelancers were the latter, while members of the N.Y. Phil and freelancers comprised the former. Walter's home was in L.A. And as his health deteriorated his desire to travel to make recordings lessened.

[pastoralguy]

There was an article I read in a now defunct music magazine that went into this in some detail. I'll try to dig it out. These string sections could often have the front desk players of all the top London orchestra's playing at any time so they were fabulous orchestras.

I remember doing a session for a tv show at STV, (Anne-Lorne Gillies?), that had a fiddle section full of the best players from the SNO, BBCSSO and the SCO. I remember my desk partner saying 'now if only we were playing a Brahms symphony...!'

[Once Was 4]

The one-time Orchestral Manager at Opera North had been an associate of Sidney Sax and had played on many recording sessions fixed by Mr Sax as the 'New Symphony Orchestra'. I think that he had bought the trading name when Mr Sax retired/passed away but I do not think that he ever used it.

I myself in an earlier life played for sessions and concerts with Alberto Semprini ("old ones, new one, loved ones, neglected ones") in what he called "my symphony orchestra" (actually a motley collection of between 20 and 30 players - whoever he could get that day).

These days such gigs and recordings seem to be known as 'white label sessions' and, as a matter of fact, I am currently involved in a couple of gigs with an ensemble that has been told not to use its own name much to the chagrin of its manager.

[Alain Maréchal]

Now this may seem a very uninformed question, but if somebody wanted to record something that required a symphony orchestra, would it not have been easier to hire a symphony orchestra, and, if necessary for contractual reasons, give them a pseudonym? Was it much cheaper to hire an ad hoc group? At least an existing orchestra would be accustomed to playing together.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now this may seem a very uninformed question, but if somebody wanted to record something that required a symphony orchestra, would it not have been easier to hire a symphony orchestra, and, if necessary for contractual reasons, give them a pseudonym? Was it much cheaper to hire an ad hoc group? At least an existing orchestra would be accustomed to playing together.

I think it was something to do with existing exclusive recording contracts - if (for example; I cannot remember exact details) the LPO were contracted to (say) DECCA, then any other recording company could not use them under their own name. (And, if at the end of that contract, the LPO signed an exclusive contract with EMI, then DECCA couldn't use them.) Further complications would also be thrown up if American recording companies (with very different copyright and Union regulations) wished to record in London.

[Once Was 4]

Now this may seem a very uninformed question, but if somebody wanted to record something that required a symphony orchestra, would it not have been easier to hire a symphony orchestra, and, if necessary for contractual reasons, give them a pseudonym? Was it much cheaper to hire an ad hoc group? At least an existing orchestra would be accustomed to playing together.

At one time, orchestras on full time contracts did not record as part of their contracts and all recording work was undertaken separately as free lance engagements. These days - apart from orchestras having their own record labels - most, if not all - have deals on recordings as part of their contract. We got half a fee for recordings made in contract time and the full fee if the work was done in what was technically free time. I can remember one very prestigious recording (for which I still get something through PPI) which we did in free time for the full rates but certain people down south muttered darkly that we had done some kind of secret deal to get the work.

A minefield!