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
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Gustav Mahler : Das Lied von der Erde
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eugen Jochum
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1963
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Dec 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Miraculous Mandarin
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43 by George Szell (2024 Remastered, Amsterdam 1964)
George Szell, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 17 Jan 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Mass In D, Op.123 "Missa Solemnis" (Live)
Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo, Kurt Moll, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 18 Jul 1979
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 11 Aug 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7, 8 & 9 "New World"
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica' by Pierre Monteux
Pierre Monteux, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 3 Jan 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 3
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Kurt Sanderling
Classical - Released by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 11 Aug 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bosmans: Concertstuk voor viool en orkest
Vesko Eschkenazy, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 7 Apr 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Escher: Orchestral, Chamber and Choral Music
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Ed Spanjaard
Classical - Released by Brilliant Classics on 1 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Concerto;Viotti: Violin Concerto No.22
Arthur Grumiaux, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Edo de Waart
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (Live)
Classical - Released by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 1 Jan 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Symphony in D minor by Eugen Jochum (2023 Remastered, Amsterdam 1973)
Eugen Jochum, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 6 Nov 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov: The Symphonies etc.
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns / Poulenc / Say
Lucas Jussen, Arthur Jussen, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Stéphane Denève
Classical - Released by Universal Music, a division of Universal International Music BV on 24 Mar 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture
Herman Krebbers, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin, London Symphony Orchestra, Igor Markevitch
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Live)
Classical - Released by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 15 Apr 2011
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Wagner: Lohengrin (Live)
Classical - Released by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 7 Apr 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.1; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-4
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1972
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo