Bloomsbury's The London Symphony Orchestra Collections

CONTENT The London Symphony Orchestra Collections on Bloomsbury Video Library offer unprecedented access to filmed performances of the London Symphony Orchestra from the last 20 years. Currently, three collections are available: 2006–20 performances, 2020–23 performances, and 2024 performances. The 2006–20 collection features over 40 performances, including Sir Simon Rattle conducting Ludwig van Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives in 2020 and Sir Antonio Pappano, chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, conducting Jean Sibelius, Leonard Bernstein, and Carl Nielsen in 2017. The 2020–23 collection showcases over 60 performances; highlights include Barbara Hannigan conducting Claude Vivier and Joseph Haydn in 2023 and André J Thomas conducting Wynton Marsalis and Carlos Simon in 2022. The most recent collection, from 2024, consists of 16 exclusive performances, with Sir Simon Rattle conducting Leoš Janáček’s Jenůfa as a particular standout.

The London Symphony Orchestra Collections encompass a wide range of material, though the majority of the music is from the Baroque era onward. The composers whose work is featured here range from the Baroque (Johann Sebastian Bach, Henry Purcell, Antonio Vivaldi), the Classical (Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven), and the Romantic (Louis-Hector Berlioz, Richard Strauss, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Béla Bartók, Antonín Dvořák) to the 20th century (Dmitri Shostakovich, Benjamin Britten, Samuel Barber) and the 21st century (Soweto Kinch, Hannah Kendall). Additional content is added annually.

USABILITY The three central collections (2006–20, 2020–23, and 2024) can be accessed via tiles on the homepage. Each collection’s page allows users to either browse the collection or download the title list. Performances are listed alphabetically by title (e.g., “Bernard Haitink conducts Bruckner and Mozart” under the letter B) and are accompanied by descriptive metadata, including the performance date and credits for the orchestra, composers, and publisher.

Each video has a digital object identifier and additional metadata indicating the length of the performance, publication year, and language. Videos are accompanied by lists of genres (dance, ballet, contemporary music) and themes (heritage and tradition, Romanticism), plus information like featured period, featured place, and the creator’s place of origin. Related content and recently watched videos are also available. The video player allows users to pause, rewind, adjust the playback speed and volume, and switch to full-screen or picture-in-picture viewing modes. Closed captioning is available, allowing patrons to customize text color and opacity, font size, text background, and font family. Users can make and save clips if they register for an account. Video and sound quality are excellent.

PRICING Each of the London Symphony Orchestra Collections is available by subscription ($1,092 to $2,699, depending on the collection) or for purchase by perpetual access ($6,551 to $16,196), with a mandatory hosting fee of $100, which begins one year after the initial purchase. The hosting fee covers any purchases of content on Bloomsbury Video Library. Pricing is based on size and type of institution, and discounts may be available from consortia.

VERDICT Bloomsbury’s London Symphony Orchestra Collections offer a stimulating selection of works performed by superb musicians and conductors. Close-up views and high-quality productions make this a highly recommended resource for students of music history and theory, ensemble management, and, especially, conducting.