Constantin Silvestri
Constantin Silvestri was a major conductor on the British scene, known in particular as a talented orchestra builder.
As a boy in Romania, his musical talents developed quickly. He made his first public appearance as a pianist at the age of ten. He studied piano and composition at Bucharest Conservatory.
He began his career as a pianist, but had the opportunity to conduct the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1930. This debut was a success, and convinced Silvestri to pursue conducting as a career. In 1935 he joined the conducting staff of the Bucharest Opera, rising eventually to becoming its music director. In 1945 he also became music director of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra.
He joined the faculty of the Bucharest Conservatory in 1948, teaching conducting. He received a State Prize for conducting in 1952. He became a frequent conductor, mainly in "friendly Socialist countries" such as the Soviet Union and others in Eastern Europe.
Silvestri left Romania in 1956 and settled in Paris. In 1957 he made his debut in Britain on January 25, 1957, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall. He made a strong impression, leading to his being appointed to lead the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 1961. He moved to Bournemouth and became a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom in 1967. He made his debut at Covent Garden in Mussorgsky's Khovanschina.
Silvestri gained a strong reputation in Britain with his strong, precise performances and his strong sympathies to British music. His conducting style stressed the individual expression of the sections and soloists of the orchestra. He was also admired for raising standards of the Bournemouth Orchestra even while the organization was facing recurrent financial problems, and is credited with establishing the status it still enjoys as a major respected British orchestra.
© TiVo
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Tchaikovsky: Concerto pour violon, Op. 35 & Souvenir d'un lieu cher, Op. 42 (Stereo Version)
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Constantin Silvestri, Leonid Kogan
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphonie No. 9 "Du Nouveau Monde" (Stereo Version)
Constantin Silvestri, Orchestre National de France
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 - Kabalevsky: Colas Breugnon Overture (Live)
Constantin Silvestri, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ica Classics on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Concerto pour violon, Op. 61 (Stereo Version)
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Constantin Silvestri, Leonid Kogan
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky - Britten - Silvestri: Manfred Symphony -The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra, Op. 34 - Prelude and Fugue Toccata, Op. 17a, No. 2
Constantin Silvestri, Philadelphia Orchestra
Classical - Released by Infinity on 29 May 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ouvertures romantiques (Stereo Version)
Philharmonia Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Vaughan Williams : Symphonies Nos. 4-6, etc.
Alexander Gibson, Paavo Berglund, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 2 Jun 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18
Aldo Ciccolini, Orchestre National de France, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 29 Jan 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphonie n°8 - Quintette avec piano n°2
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Constantin Silvestri / Clifford Curzon / Quatuor de Budapest
Symphonic Music - Released by Les Indispensables de Diapason on 24 Apr 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1, Op. 23 & Violinkonzert Op. 35
Gyorgy Cziffra, Leonid Kogan, Andre Vandernoot, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Concerto pour piano No. 1 & Concerto pour violon
Gyorgy Cziffra, Leonid Kogan, Andre Vandernoot, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphonies Nos. 7,8,9 ‘From the New World’
Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 17 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Samson François, Philharmonia Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 2 Oct 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Liszt: Les deux concertos pour piano et orchestre (Stereo Version)
Samson François, Philharmonia Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1963
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Borodin: Prince Igor Overture & Polovtsian Dances by Constantin Silvestri (2023 Remastered)
Constantin Silvestri, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 11 Dec 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Symphony, FWV 48
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 28 Oct 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Faust-Symphonie - Psaume XIII - Poèmes symphoniques
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Thomas Beecham, Constantin Silvestri
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 3 Oct 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Célébration du 24e anniversaire de l’Orchestre National (12 Mars 1959)
Orchestre National de la RTF - Constantin Silvestri - Clara Haskil
Classical - Released by Ina, musique(s) on 3 Feb 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Enescu: Rhapsodies roumaines, Op. 11 (Mono Version)
Česká filharmonie, Constantin Silvestri
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák · Symphonies 7, 8 & 9
Constantin Silvestri, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by G.O.P. on 3 Mar 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphonie No. 5 (Mono Version)
Constantin Silvestri, Philharmonia Orchestra
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1958
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo