Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, or, as it is often called, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, was founded in 1888, its first concert taking place on November 3 of that year. Concertgebouw means concert hall in Dutch, and the ensemble adopted that name from the lavish site where it has been based since 1888. The building, known for its splendid acoustics, houses a large auditorium (the Grote Zaal) and a small one (Kleine Zaal).
The Orchestra's first conductor was Willem Kes, who enforced a common etiquette on Dutch audiences previously unobserved: eating, late arrivals, and talking during performance were banned. Kes built the orchestra into a fine one, even if it still fell short of world-class caliber. Upon Kes' departure in 1895, the legendary Willem Mengelberg was appointed music director. He would serve for nearly 50 years in that capacity, molding the orchestra into a first-rate ensemble and making many famous recordings with the group.
During his reign Mengelberg took sabbaticals to conduct other orchestras in Europe and America, including the New York Philharmonic. During his absences, other conductors were engaged to serve as substitutes, including Pierre Monteux and Bruno Walter. While Mengelberg was highly respected and his orchestra widely admired, the repertory tended to be somewhat narrow, focusing largely on the Germanic sphere, especially on Beethoven and Richard Strauss. But he conducted works by Gustav Mahler, and the orchestra featured appearances by Rachmaninov and Prokofiev in performances of their works.
During World War II, Mengelberg sided with the Nazis, and after 1945 was banned from conducting the ensemble for six years. That same year Eduard van Beinum was appointed his successor. He broadened the repertory and maintained the orchestra's high performance standards during his 14 years on the podium. He died in 1959 during a rehearsal, and for the next four years, leadership of the orchestra was shared by Eugen Jochum and Bernard Haitink. Haitink was appointed chief conductor in 1963 and served in that capacity until 1988. During his tenure, the orchestra made numerous highly acclaimed tours and recordings.
Haitink's successor was Riccardo Chailly, who further broadened the repertory of the orchestra, and like his predecessors, produced a spate of critically acclaimed recordings. In 2004, Mariss Jansons was appointed conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Today the ensemble consists of 120 players and is widely considered one of the finest orchestras in the world.
© TiVo
-
The Art of Eduard van Beinum II
Eduard van Beinum, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Editions Audiovisuel Beulah on 20 Apr 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Marius Flothuis: Symphonic Music for a Large Orchestra / Kees Van Baaren: Variazioni Per Orchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Utrechts Stedelijk Orkest
Classical - Released by MVE on 12 Feb 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy: Images pour orchestre; Prélude á l'après-midi d'un faune
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 20 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 9 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Klemperer Rarities: Amsterdam, Vol. 4 (1955)
Audience, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Classical - Released by Archiphon on 5 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Klemperer Rarities : Amsterdam, Vol. 1 (1947-1951)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Herman Schey, Audience, Otto Klemperer
Classical - Released by Archiphon on 5 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best of Gioachino Rossini
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 10 Jan 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C Major, "Great"
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 19 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Septembre musical, Vol. 6 : Arthur Honegger / Hector Berlioz (Montreux 1959)
Rafael Kubelik, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Symphonic Music - Released by RTS Radio Télévision Suisse - Evasion Music on 20 Oct 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: London Symphonies (Classic FM: The Full Works)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
Classical - Released by Decca (UMO) (Classics) on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Concerto pour piano No. 5 "L'empereur" (Mono Version)
Robert Casadesus, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Hans Rosbaud
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: En Saga, Op. 9 & Tapiola, Op. 112 (Mono version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Feux d'artifice, extraits de la suite - Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary - Berlioz: La damnation de Faust, extraits (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1953
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana: La Moldau - Tchaikovsky: Capriccio italien (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel, Mussorgsky: Tableaux d'une exposition (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Antal Doráti
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy: Images pour orchestre (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1956
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: Suites de Peer Gynt (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jean Fournet
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Psyché, extraits (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Ouverture de Die Zauberharfe - Mendelssohn: Ouverture pour Le songe d'une nuit d'été (Mono Version)
Eduard van Beinum, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Royal Fireworks Music (Arr. by Hamilton Harty, Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 41, 32 & 26 (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Karl Böhm
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1956
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo