WINTER CONCERTS PLANNING THE LONDON SEASON Plans for the new 1954-55 season are now taking shape, and Londoners are pro­ mised an intensive winter’s music-making. The Royal Philharmonic Society’s series of eight orchestral concerts will open at the Festival Hall on October 20 with a French programme conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. In all of the eight concerts there is a happy balance between familiar and unfamiliar music, and, besides Sir Thomas, the orchestra will have among its conductors Sir Malcolm Sar­ gent. Sir Arthur Bliss, Mr. Hans Schmidt- Isserstedt, Mr. Paul Hindemith, Mr. Otto Klemperer, and Mr. Rudolf Schwarz. The first performance of Rubbra's sixth symphony is promised for November 17, a programme de­ voted to the music of Sir Arthur Bliss for January 26, and Hindemith's symphony, “ Die Harmonie der Welt ” for March 16. The Royal Choral Society's programmes are keeping to familiar lines, with Vaughan Williams's Dona Nobis Pacetn and “ A Sea Symphony ” on November 27 as the only con­ temporary works in the series. The perform­ ance of Messiah under Sir Malcolm Sargent on January 8 will be the society's hundredth concert since its formation in 1871. Mr. Wilfrid Van Wyck will be responsible for the visits of many international celebrities to London between October and May, with Mr. Robert Bronstein, Mr. Massino Freccia, Mr. Karl Krueger, Mr. Alberto Bolet, Mr. Galbera, Mr. Eugen Szenkar, Mr. George Barati, and Mr. Royalton Kisch among the conductors, and Miss Livia Rev, Mr. Rudolf Firkusny, Mr. Byron Janis, Miss Jeanne Demessieux, Mr. Malcuzynski. Mr. Gieseking. Mr. Ruggiero Ricci. Miss Maria Stader, Mr. Robert Casadesus, Mr. André Navarra, Mr. Brailowsky. Mr. Milstein. Mr. NiedZielski, Miss Mattiwilda Dobbs, Mr. Artur Rubin­ stein. Miss Victoria de los Angeles, Mr. Julius Katchen, Mr. José Iturbi, Miss Lina Lalandi, Mr. Maurice Eisenberg, Mr. Ivor Keys, and Miss Jennie Tourel among the soloists. Mr. Richard Austin will again be in charge of several of the New Era Concert Society’s activities. Special interest attaches to the concert at the Albert Hall on October 11 when the Polish composer, Andrzej Panufnik, will conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in a programme which will include his own Tragic Overture, and to two concerts to be given by the Bavarian State Radio Orchestra under Mr. Eugen Jochum on February 14 and 22. The London Junior and Senior orchestras will again demonstrate their keenness under the indefatigable Mr. Ernest Read in a series of seven concerts in and around London..