Four years after the founding of the Boston Symphony Orchestra by Henry Lee Higginson in 1881, the Boston Pops Orchestra was assembled to provide “concerts of a lighter kind of music” after it had been a voiced wish by the founder.
They performed their Promenade Concerts until 1900 where their repertoire would include light classical music and current theatre hits.
Their first conductor was Arthur Fiedler in 1930 and he remained with them for 50 years. It was through his conductorship they saw international acclaim and he was always trying to change the attitude that classical music was just for the upper-class audience as well as insisting on playing popular music.
They began free concerts on the Esplanade in Boston and these still continue today in the form of their Fourth of July Pops concert and fireworks display. They also performed a weekly series of televised broadcasts called Evening at Pops from the Symphony Hall where they performed during the season.
After Arthur Fiedler’s death in 1979 he was succeeded by the composer John Williams who continued in the traditions that had already been set. Keith Lockhart became principal conductor in 1995 and continues in that position.
The orchestra is said to have made more recordings than any other in the world with sales exceeding 50 million in every recording format. Their most famous recording is thought to be Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”.
Adolphe Charles Adam Recordings
O Holy Night
Sony Classical SK 48232 (CD – Joy to the World)
Conductor – John Williams
Richard Adler Recordings
Hernando’s Hideaway
RCA 68793 (CD: Boston Tea Party)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty Recordings
With Voices Raised
Conductor – Keith Lockhart
Tenor – Jason Danieley
RCA 63516 (CD: A Splash of Pops)
Leroy Anderson recordings
A Christmas Festival
DG 419 414-2 (CD: White Christmas)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
RCA 09026-61685-2 (CD: Pops Christmas Party)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
Philips 416 287 – 2 (CD: We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Conductor – John Williams
Choir – Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Choirmaster – John Oliver
Sony SK 48232 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – John Williams
Choir – Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Choirmaster – John Oliver
Irish Suite
RCA 60746-2-RG (CD: Irish Night at the Pops)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
Sleigh Ride
Sony Classical SK 48232 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – John Williams
Deutsche Grammophon DG 419 414 (CD: White Christmas)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
RCA 6428 (CD: A Christmas Festival with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
RCA 61685 (CD: Pops Christmas Party)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
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