The
London Symphony Orchestra (
LSO), founded in 1904, is the oldest of London's symphony orchestras. It was set up by a group of players who left
Henry Wood's
Queen's Hall Orchestra because of a new rule requiring players to give the orchestra their exclusive services. The LSO itself later introduced a similar rule for its members. From the outset the LSO was organised on co-operative lines, with all players sharing the profits at the end of each season. This practice continued for the orchestra's first four decades.