BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is an integral part of Welsh culture, giving frequent premieres of works by Welsh composers. The orchestra is often active beyond Wales, recording a variety of material that includes many BBC television soundtracks.
The origins of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales lay in the Cardiff Station Orchestra, which was founded in 1924. In 1928, it was renamed the National Orchestra of Wales. This orchestra dissolved under funding pressures in 1931 but was revived as the BBC Welsh Orchestra in 1935. Wartime restrictions led the orchestra to disband in 1939, but after the war, it was revived once again and grew consistently, from 31 members to 66 members by 1976, when it was renamed the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra. The group now has 78 members. It took its present name in 1993, and an associated chorus was also named the BBC National Chorus of Wales. Notable among the orchestra's performances have been some 50 world premieres, most of which have been of music by Welsh composers, including more than 20 by Alun Hoddinott, whose namesake Hoddinott Hall now houses the orchestra's administrative offices (its concerts mostly take place at St. David's Hall in Cardiff). The orchestra and chorus also gave the world premiere of Arvo Pärt's In spe in 2010. The orchestra has helped nurture several international conducting careers, including those of Richard Hickox (principal conductor from 2000-2006), Thierry Fischer (2006-2012), Thomas Søndergård (2012-2017), and Xian Zhang (2017-2020, the first female principal conductor of any BBC orchestra. Ryan Bancroft was named principal conductor in 2020; Lisa Tregale was named artistic director, becoming the first woman to hold the post.
The orchestra has a large catalog of more than 65 recordings that is by no means restricted to the music of Welsh composers. That total does not include BBC television soundtrack recordings for, among other programs, Doctor Who. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales has recorded for the Hyperion, BIS, and Chandos labels, as well as for Linn, where it released a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies. The year 2014 saw the release of no fewer than seven recordings by the group. In 2020, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales was heard on Beethoven Reimagined, an album by composer/DJ Gabriel Prokofiev.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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ZHOU Xiao Lin Italianissima
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, ZHOU Xiaolin
Opera - Released by Ncpa Classics on 22 Oct 2020
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Concertino for Clarinet and String Orchestra: III. Allegro
Peter Cigleris, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 25 Feb 2021
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Serenata Concertante for Clarinet and Small Orchestra: IV. Waltz
Peter Cigleris, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 11 Mar 2021
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Symphony No. 2: III
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Kenneth Woods
Classical - Released by Signum Classics on 19 Sep 2019
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Four Humoresques for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 89: III. No. 3 in E-Flat Major
Fenella Humphreys, George Vass, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Resonus Classics on 26 Feb 2021
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Two Humoresques for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 87: II. No. 2 in D Major
Fenella Humphreys, George Vass, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Resonus Classics on 19 Mar 2021
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American Trombone Concertos, Vol. 2
Christian Lindberg, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Grant Llewellyn
Classical - Released by BIS on 30 Apr 1996
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Jacob / Howarth / Bourgeois: Trombone Concertos
Christian Lindberg, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Grant Llewellyn
Classical - Released by BIS on 31 Dec 1991
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Joubert: Piano Concerto & Symphony No. 3
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, William Boughton, Martin Jones
Classical - Released by Lyrita on 7 Sep 2018
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Schnittke: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Tadaaki Otaka
Classical - Released by BIS on 28 Feb 1996
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Richard Strauss: Orchestral Favourites, Vol. VIII
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Nimbus Records on 1 Feb 2012
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Œuvres orchestrales (Volume 2)
Sarah Fox, BBC National Chorus of Wales, Gareth Rhys-Davies, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Richard Hickox
Classical - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2008
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Edition Berkeley, volume 4
Thomas Trotter, Paul Silverthorne, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Richard Hickox
Symphonic Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Jan 2004
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Trumpet Renaissance
Jac van Steen, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Philippe Schartz
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2009
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John Pickard: Symphonies 2 & 6; Verlaine Songs
Emma Tring, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Martyn Brabbins
Alternative & Indie - To be released on 3 May 2024 by BIS
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