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.
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Parry: Symphony No. 4, Proserpine & Three Movements from Suite moderne
Rumon Gamba, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, BBC National Chorus of Wales
Symfonieën - Released by Chandos on 1 okt. 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Berkeley Edition, Vol. 5
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Celia Craig, Steven Burnard, Howard Shelley
Symfonieën - Released by Chandos on 1 mrt. 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rubbra: Symphony No. 2 & Symphony No. 6
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Symfonieën - Released by Chandos on 1 aug. 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rubbra: Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 8 & Ode to the Queen
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Susan Bickley
Symfonieën - Released by Chandos on 1 mrt. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Standards
Simon Höfele, Duncan Ward, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Berlin Classics on 31 jan. 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Arwel Hughes: Oratorio Dewi Sant
Chorus of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Owain Arwel Hughes, Susan Bullock, Paul Carey Jones, Rhodri Prys-jones
Sacred Oratorios - Released by RUBICON on 25 aug. 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
On Chesil Beach (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Dan Jones, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Originele soundtracks - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 11 apr. 2018
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stanford: Songs of the Fleet, Songs of the Sea & A Ballad of the Fleet
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Gerald Finley, BBC National Chorus of Wales
Koormuziek - Released by Chandos on 1 mei 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Vaughan Williams: Flos Campi & Suite; McEwen: Viola Concerto
Lawrence Power, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Martyn Brabbins
Klassiek - Released by Hyperion on 31 okt. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Parry : Symphony No. 4, Proserpine, Suite moderne
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, BBC National Chorus of Wales, Rumon Gamba
Symfonische muziek - Released by Chandos on 1 okt. 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Symphony No. 10
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Kenneth Woods
Klassiek - Released by Signum Classics on 20 nov. 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Philip Sawyers: Symphony No. 4 & Hommage to Kandinsky
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Kenneth Woods
Klassiek - Released by Nimbus Alliance on 5 jun. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
John Pickard: Symphonies 2 & 6; Verlaine Songs
Emma Tring, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Martyn Brabbins
Alternative en Indie - Released by BIS on 3 mei 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Augusta Read Thomas: Dream Catcher
Clarissa Bevilacqua, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Vimbayi Kaziboni
Klassiek - Released by Nimbus Records on 6 jan. 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Rite of Spring | Les Biches
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Thierry Fischer
Klassiek - Released by Signum Records on 31 mrt. 2011
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven Reimagined
Friedrich von Schiller, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Yaniv Segal, Gabriel Prokofiev
Klassiek - Released by Naxos on 27 mrt. 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Elgar: Symphony No. 2 & In the South
Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Symfonieën - Released by Chandos on 1 aug. 2005
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Pièces pour orchestre (Volume 3)
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Howard Shelley, Richard Hickox
Symfonische muziek - Released by Chandos on 1 nov. 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elgar: The New England Connection
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Andrew Constantine
Klassiek - Released by Orchid Classics on 6 okt. 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rediscovered
Peter Cigleris, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Ben Palmer
Klassiek - Released by Signum Records on 26 mrt. 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Cliffe & Erlanger: Violin Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 10)
Philippe Graffin, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, David Lloyd-Jones
Klassiek - Released by Hyperion on 28 feb. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo