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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Schmidt: The Symphonies
Jonathan Berman, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Accentus Music on 17 Nov 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Zemlinsky: Symphony in D Minor; Symphony in B-Flat Major
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Martyn Brabbins
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 2 Feb 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
British Tone Poems, Vol. 1
Rumon Gamba, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Feb 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Overtures from the British Isles, Vol. 2
Rumon Gamba, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 May 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Oswald & Napoleão: Piano Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 64)
Artur Pizarro, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Martyn Brabbins
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 28 Sep 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Holst: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Joyful Company of Singers
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jan 2009
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Parry: Works for Chorus and Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Amanda Roocroft, BBC National Chorus of Wales
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Chandos on 1 Oct 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bliss: A Colour Symphony & Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Lydia Mordkovitch
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stravinski : L'Oiseau de feu (Intégrale), Scherzo fantastique
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Thierry Fischer
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 22 Sep 2009
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Sibelius: Finlandia
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Thomas Søndergård
Classical - Released by Linn Records on 22 Jun 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1
Emmanuelle Bertrand, Pascal Amoyel, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Pascal Rophé
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on 25 Mar 2013
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George Butterworth: Orchestral Works & Works for Voice
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, James Rutherford, Kriss Russman
Symphonic Music - Released by BIS on 3 Jun 2016
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Sibelius: Violin Concerto & Humoresques
Fenella Humphreys, George Vass, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Resonus Classics on 2 Apr 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stravinsky, Martin & Honegger: Violin Concertos & Orchestral Works
Baiba Skride, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Thierry Fischer
Classical - Released by Orfeo on 4 Jun 2012
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Călin Humă: Symphony-Concerto/Symphony No. 1 'Carpatica'
Christopher Petrie, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Sergiu Tuhutiu
Classical - Released by Guild Music on 28 Feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Symphonies 2 & 7
Thomas Søndergård, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Linn Records on 16 Mar 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Taylor: Symphony Nos. 4 & 5
Kenneth Woods, English Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Classical - Released by Nimbus Alliance on 6 Nov 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pickard: Sixteen Sunrises, Symphony No. 5 & Concertante Variations
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Martyn Brabbins
Classical - Released by BIS on 7 Jul 2017
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Clytemnestra: Orchestral Songs
Ruby Hughes, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Jac van Steen
Classical - Released by BIS on 3 Jan 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Leighton: Symphony for Strings, Organ Concerto & Concerto for String Orchestra
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, John Scott
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 May 2008
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The Berkeley Edition, Vol. 2
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Nicholas Daniel
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2002
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo