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In 1968, Andr茅 Previn became the London Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 Principal Conductor, a post he held for 11 years. But it wasn't until 1971 that he became a household name in the UK. Andr茅 Previn鈥檚 Music Night ran for 8 years and 33 episodes on the 麻豆社. More viewers experienced an LSO performance in just one broadcast of Music Night than all of the orchestra鈥檚 previous concert audiences put together.

Music Night was a no-nonsense, no-gimmicks 50-minute concert, with Previn and the LSO filmed in a TV studio and later at Croydon鈥檚 Fairfield Hall. The signature tune, written by Previn, was a jaunty fanfare. Suited and bow-tied with his mop-top hair, Previn strode through the orchestra to warm applause from the studio audience. There was no dramatic dimming of the lights, no script; the telegenic Previn chatted amicably about the music he loved as if amongst friends.

Music Night featured a huge array of repertoire and stellar soloists including pianist Martha Argerich, violinist Kyung-Wha Chung, Previn himself and many of the LSO鈥檚 principal players. Close-up camera shots of the musicians and their lightning-quick responses to Previn鈥檚 conducting, seen from the orchestra鈥檚 side, revealed the camaraderie and extraordinary ensemble of the LSO. It was like peeping into the secret workings of a magnificent sound machine.

Andr茅 Previn died on 28 February 2019, at the age of 89. Deeply affectionate tributes, personal memories and favourite recordings are everywhere; a microcosm of the life of one of music鈥檚 greatest polymaths. Previn made the first recording of the uncut version of Rachmaninov鈥檚 second symphony in the early 1970s, and it has become his memorial soundtrack. His superb recordings of the Vaughan Williams symphonies are played again and again. He鈥檚 the jazz pianist who appeared with Ella Fitzgerald; the 19-year-old composing his first film score; the winner of four Oscars; the man who went on to write an opera, concerti, musicals...

But for many, Andr茅 Previn will always be remembered as Mr Andrew Preview. Previn played the straight-faced maestro to Eric and Ernie's bumbling, deeply unprofessional musicians in the 1971 Morecambe and Wise Christmas special. There was no rehearsal for that sketch; Previn鈥檚 schedule was simply too busy. Part-scripted, part-improvised, Previn did what he had always done: demystified classical music, removed the elitism and presented it as music that everybody could love.

This is one of 100 significant musical moments explored by 麻豆社 Radio 3鈥檚 Essential Classics as part of Our Classical Century, a 麻豆社 season celebrating a momentous 100 years in music from 1918 to 2018. Visit bbc.co.uk/ourclassicalcentury to watch and listen to all programmes in the season.

This is an excerpt from a recording featuring soloist Radu Lupu and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andr茅 Previn.

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