Editing Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (section)

===Late 1940s–1960s===
In 1948 Sargent resigned as principal conductor.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|pp=132–133}}</ref> On 2 October 1949 [[Yehudi Menuhin]] and the Liverpool Philharmonic (conducted by [[Malcolm Sargent]]) played at [[Belle Vue, Manchester]].<ref name="BV">{{cite web |title=Concerts at Belle Vue |url=https://manchesterhistory.net/bellevue/gigs.html |website=Manchesterhistory.net |access-date=18 July 2022}}</ref> Sargent's successor, [[Hugo Rignold]], initially had a difficult time, partly because of his background as a [[jazz]] and dance band player.<ref name=grove/> However, he served in the post for six years and left in 1954 with an enhanced reputation.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|pp=134–138}}</ref> From 1955 the society had joint principal conductors, [[John Pritchard (conductor)|John Pritchard]] and [[Efrem Kurtz]].  The latter resigned in 1957 and Pritchard continued as sole principal conductor until 1963.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|pp=138–154}}</ref> In August 1956, the orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron, made its [[BBC Proms|Prom]] debut with an all Beethoven programme, consisting of the [[Fidelio]] overture, the violin concerto with [[Alfredo Campoli|Campoli]] as soloist, and Symphony No.5.<ref>{{cite news |date=3 August 1956 |title=Liverpool Orchestra in Prom Debut |work=Kensington Post |page=6}}</ref>

In 1957 the society and orchestra were granted "Royal" status and were authorised to include this word in their title.  The following year the [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen]] became the patron of the orchestra.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|p=143}}</ref> In 1958 the society instigated a competition for young conductors.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|p=145}}</ref> The first winner was [[Zubin Mehta]].<ref>Goodwin, Noël. [http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/18269 "Mehta, Zubin"], Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 June 2013 {{subscription required}}</ref> Under Pritchard's successor the competition became a seminar for young conductors, in which participants included [[Andrew Davis (conductor)|Andrew Davis]], [[Mark Elder]], [[John Eliot Gardiner]], [[James Judd]] and [[Barry Wordsworth]].<ref>Smith, Edward. "Sir Charles Groves", ''The Times'', 29 June 1992, p. 17</ref> Pritchard was a champion of contemporary music and with the help of [[David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)|David Lloyd-Jones]] he introduced a series of concerts known as ''Musica Viva'' showcasing new compositions.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|pp=145–150}}; and Jacobs, Arthur and [[Noël Goodwin]]. [http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/16825 "Lloyd-Jones, David"], Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 June 2013 {{subscription required}}</ref> During Pritchard's time, the society commissioned [[William Walton|Walton]] to write his [[Symphony No. 2 (Walton)|Second Symphony]], which received its première at the [[Edinburgh International Festival|Edinburgh Festival]] in 1960.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|p=150}}</ref> Pritchard was succeeded by Charles Groves, who served as principal conductor for 14&nbsp;years until he resigned in 1977.<ref>{{Harvnb|Henley|McKernan|2009|pp=154–155}}</ref> Groves helped to maintain the high standards of the orchestra and also encouraged the work of modern composers.  He was the first English conductor to direct a full cycle of [[Gustav Mahler|Mahler's]] symphonies.  The orchestra undertook its first overseas tour in 1966, playing in Germany and Switzerland.  In 1968 Groves conducted a performance of [[Olivier Messiaen|Messiaen's]] ''[[Turangalîla-Symphonie|Turangalîla Symphony]]'', in the presence of the composer, with Messiaen's wife, Yvonne Loriod, playing the [[concertante]] piano part.<ref>Mann, William. "Large-scale triumph", ''The Times'', 13 March 1968, p. 13</ref>