Leslie Jones (conductor)

Leslie Jones (1905-1982) was a British lawyer and conductor.^[1]

Jones played saxhorn in the local Salvation Army band in his home town. At age eleven, he became an organist and learned to play trombone. He took music lessons from the composer Theophilus Hemmings, and eventually became a Trinity’s Licentiate (LTCL), an Associate of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO), and an Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM).^[1] Jones also studied law, became a solicitor, and set up his own practice which he ran for thirty years.^[1]

Before World War II, Jones formed the Newcastle-under-Lyme String Orchestra (today Newcastle Strings)^[2] and after the war he founded the Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra.^[1]

After having retired from the law practice, Jones moved south, and could devote more time to music.^[1] In the 1960s, he created The Little Orchestra of London. The players came from the London "pool". He was at the forefront of the movement to reduce the size of Haydn orchestras, and usually directed himself from the keyboard.^[3] Being an early advocate of period performance practice, he recorded Joseph Haydns "Paris" and "London" symphonies.^[4] He recorded about fifty of Haydn's symphonies. The recordings were released on Pye Records, and Nonesuch Records.^[5]

Discography

• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 19, 31, 45. Nonesuch H-71031 (1964)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 44, 49. Golden Guinea Collector Series GSGC 14006 (1964)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 12, 26, 83. Nonesuch H-71083 (1965)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 6, 13, 64. Pye Golden Guinea Records (1965)
• Alan Rawsthorne, Lennox Berkeley, Peter Racine Fricker: Concerto for String Orchestra; Serenade for Strings; Prelude, Elegy and Finale. Pye Golden Guinea Records (1965)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 43, 45, 80. Pye Golden Guinea Records GGC 4046 (1965)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 3, 39, 73. PRT GSGC 7055 (1965)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 34, 54, 75. Golden Guinea Collector Series (1966)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 77, 61. Nonesuch (1967)
• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Four Orchestral Works, Wq 183. Nonesuch H-71180 (1967)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 100, 103. Checkmate C 76002 (1967)
• Johann Christian Bach: Sinfonias Op. 18, Nos 3 & 5; Sinfonia Concertante C. Nonesuch H-71165 (1968)
• Joseph Haydn: The six "Paris" Symphonies. Nonesuch HC-73011 (Before 1969)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 44, 49, Armida ouverture. Nonesuch H-71032 (Before 1969)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 13, 29, 64. Nonesuch H-71121 (Before 1969)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 35, 43, 80. Nonesuch H-71131 (Before 1969)
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies 1 & 8. Unicorn Records UNS 200 (1969)
• Scandinavian String Music (Grieg, Nielsen, Sibelius). Unicorn Records UNS 201 (1969)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 90, 91. Nonesuch H-71191 (Announced in the 1969-1970 Nonesuch Supplement)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 63, 78, Overture to an English Opera. Nonesuch H-71197 (Announced in the 1969-1970 Nonesuch Supplement)
• Joseph Haydn: The 12 London Symphonies. (6 LP box) Nonesuch HF-73019 (Announced in the 1969-1970 Nonesuch Supplement)
• John Stanley: 6 concertos op. 2. Peica (1970)
• Michael Haydn: Symphonies in G P.16 and A P.31; Violin Concerto A. Pye Golden Guinea Records GGC 14131 (1970)
• Louis Spohr, J.H. Hummel: Notturno C Op. 34; Octet - Partita. Oryx 1830 (1973)
• Alan Rawsthorne: Concerto For String Orchestra; Piano Quintet; Sonata For Cello And Piano. PRT GSGC 7060 (1985)
• G.F. Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, Double Concerto F. Basic Record Library; Oryx ORPS 16 (unknown year)
• G.F. Handel: The Water Music (complete). Sequence Records SEQ 22102; Peerless (unknown year)
• Joseph Haydn: Symphonies 101, 104. Oryx ORPS 18 (unknown year)
• Joseph Haydn: Six Divertimenti Op 31. Oryx 1740 (unknown year)
• J.S. Bach: Violin Concerto; Harpsichord concertos BWV 1052 & 1056. Basic Record Library BRL 7 (unknown year)
• W.A. Mozart: Clarinet and Oboe Concertos. Thea King, Derek Wickens. Sequence SEQ 22103 and Oryx ORPS 21 (unknown year)

References