The BBC Symphony Orchestra
Funded and administered by the British Broadcasting Company, the BBC Symphony Orchestra has, since its establishment in 1930, enjoyed freedom from the financial concerns that often plague independent orchestras. Because of this, it has been able to engage in more adventurous programming than many other major orchestras, focusing on new or less familiar compositions. In addition to its full schedule of broadcast performances for BBC Radio 3, the BBC Symphony performs more than 70 public concerts a year. With its affinity for contemporary compositions, this ensemble of approximately 100 musicians has earned its reputation as one of the foremost broadcasting orchestras in Europe.
Although it was not officially established until 1930, plans for a BBC Orchestra were hatched in 1927. Negotiations delayed the fruition of these plans until Adrian Boult was appointed director of music in January 1930. The orchestra offered its first performance in October 1930 at Queen's Hall, playing Wagner, Brahms, and Ravel to enthusiastic reviews. During its early years, the orchestra established its commitment to new and unusual repertoire by programming works by such contemporary composers as Schoenberg, Bartók, and Alban Berg, many of which were conducted by the composers themselves. Boult insisted that music by British composers be prominently represented in the orchestra's repertoire; to that end, the BBC Symphony presented broadcasts of works by Constant Lambert, Edward Elgar, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
In 1935, administrators began to express concern over the organization's programming policies; the ensuing tensions between the BBC and the artistic directors of the orchestra boiled over in 1936, and Edward Clark, who was a primary figure in forming the BBC's musical policy, angrily resigned. For the next 25 years, the orchestra's repertoire became considerably more focused on the works of Romantic and post-Romantic composers, temporarily leaving behind the ensemble's penchant for more contemporary music. After Boult's retirement in 1950, Sir Malcolm Sargent was appointed chief conductor. His otherwise unremarkable tenure included the establishment of the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts at Queen's Hall (and later at the Royal Albert Hall) and the opening of the Royal Festival Hall, which became one of the orchestra's permanent concert venues. Sargent was succeeded in 1957 by Rudolf Schwarz, who began once again to broaden the orchestra's repertoire.
The BBC Symphony commissioned and premiered several pieces by composers such as Roberto Gerhard during the 1960s in an effort to elevate the international status of the orchestra. Unfortunately, financial constraints did not allow the BBC Symphony to blossom as was hoped, but the changes made by Schwarz helped the orchestra recover some of its former glory. Antal Doráti replaced Schwarz as chief conductor of the orchestra in 1963 and organized the ensemble's first American tour in 1965. Sharing the podium with Pierre Boulez, Doráti's adventurous choice of repertoire focused on works by distinguished contemporary composers, and this highly successful tour brought the orchestra its long-sought international recognition. Boulez's affiliation with the BBC Symphony was instrumental in bringing the orchestra's concert repertoire back to its original focus on new works.
Boulez's tenure was followed by an exceptional list of internationally prominent conductors, including Rudolf Kempe, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, and Leonard Slatkin, among others. Sakari Oramo was named chief conductor in 2013 after a guest conducting performance. In 2019, Dalia Stasevska was named principal guest conductor, the first woman to hold the post in the orchestra's history.
While its broadcast and live performances are the main attraction for the BBC Symphony, it also has an extensive recording history. The orchestra has recorded with such labels as NMC, Warner Classics, and Chandos. On the latter, it released Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite; Spring Song; Suite from Belshazzar's Feast under Oramo in 2019. 2022 saw the release of several reissued and new recordings, including Oramo leading the orchestra in music by Dora Pejačević, with Peter Donohoe as the soloist on the composer's Piano Concerto.
While the BBC Symphony and the BBC Concert Orchestra are based in London, regional BBC orchestras are resident in Manchester (BBC Philharmonic), Glasgow (BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra), and Cardiff (BBC National Orchestra of Wales).
© Corie Stanton Root /TiVo
Diskografie
19 Album, -en • Geordnet nach Bestseller
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Schoenberg & Brahms: Violin Concertos
Jack Liebeck, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Gourlay
Klassik - Erschienen bei Orchid Classics am 20.03.2020
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1 (Live)
The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent
Klassik - Erschienen bei SOMM Recordings am 15.07.2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Symphonies
Klassik - Erschienen bei Cameo Classics am 04.09.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1, 4 6 & 7 (Remastered 2021)
The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Klassik - Erschienen bei Andromeda am 01.10.2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Orchestral Works
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Beecham
Klassik - Erschienen bei Biddulph Recordings am 01.05.1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Boccherini, Haydn, Elgar & Others: Cello Concertos
Pablo Casals, London Symphony Orchestra, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Landon Ronald, Sir Adrian Boult
Klassik - Erschienen bei Biddulph Recordings am 13.10.1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vaughan Williams Conducts Vaughan Williams
Klassik - Erschienen bei Past Classics am 09.12.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64
Klassik - Erschienen bei Past Classics am 24.08.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Orchestral Works
Busch Chamber Players, Rudolf Serkin, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Adolf Busch, Fritz Busch
Klassik - Erschienen bei Biddulph Recordings am 01.10.1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 in G Minor, Op. 103 "The Year 1905" (Live)
The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent
Klassik - Erschienen bei Archipel am 24.09.2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Wagner: Orchestral Works (Live)
The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Klassik - Erschienen bei Archipel am 24.09.2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music
Klassik - Erschienen bei Past Classics am 01.12.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Michael Hersch: The Script of Storms
Ah Young Hong, Ensemble Klang, Tito Muñoz, The BBC Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei New Focus Recordings am 16.09.2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
List of Compositions by Elgar
Pablo Casals, Sir Adrian Boult, The BBC Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei ArnebAudio am 06.02.2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43
Klassik - Erschienen bei Past Classics am 01.12.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Holst: The Planets Op. 32
Malcolm Sargent, The BBC Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Sunday Club Records am 04.11.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones of a Piano Legend: Solomon, Vol. 12
Solomon, Henry Holst, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Anthony Pini, Sir Adrian Boult
Klassik - Erschienen bei Intense Media GmbH am 06.03.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones of Legends: Rudolf Kempe, Vol. 7
The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Joan Alexander, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Rudolf Kempe
Klassik - Erschienen bei Intense Media GmbH am 27.03.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sir Malcolm Sargent Conducts an Evening at the Proms
Sir Malcolm Sargent, The BBC Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Sunday Club Records am 24.04.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo