Returning to London in 1940 he was appalled by the lack of orchestral music performances, and set about forming an orchestra that would have the best professional players and sufficient rehearsal time.
[3] Frederick Laurence, the composer husband of Marie Goossens, was hired as the orchestral manager and recruiter, but died before taking up the position.
In 1946 it gave a further series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and toured Switzerland and France, performing Richard Strauss's Don Juan with the composer present in Lausanne.
[1] Beer found the financial resources to engage top-class players, including Dennis Brain, Norman Del Mar, Léon Goossens and Reginald Kell.
The wind section relied heavily on young players from the RAF Central Band, based in Uxbridge.