BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
The BBC Philharmonic, based in the city of Salford in northern England's Greater Manchester county, is one of the most important orchestras in the United Kingdom, distinguishing itself by its sheer visibility and solid commitment to contemporary British music that has included the establishment of a composer/conductor position. Its home concert venue is Manchester's Bridgewater Hall. The people of the Manchester area and the north of England are rightly proud of their radio orchestra. With so much British culture and finance administered in London, there is an independent spirit driving the culture of the north. The BBC Philharmonic has not only survived, but it has thrived. It has developed a character distinct from that of the larger BBC Symphony Orchestra, based in London: more populist, perhaps, but also more adventurous and -- with the orchestra's large recording catalog, generous outreach programs, and international tours -- more entrepreneurial.
The BBC Philharmonic's history is rather checkered, for it has had to endure numerous crises. In 1922, prior to the official establishment of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Manchester had a radio station known as 2YZ, housed on the premises of the Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company. Early on, a small orchestra was established for broadcasts; it concentrated mainly on light music but expanded on occasion for performances of symphonic repertoire and opera. The station gained a reputation for broadcasting British music, including the first radio performances of music by Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, and William Walton. When the BBC was established in 1927, the 2YZ orchestra was renamed the Northern Wireless Orchestra; later, it became the BBC Northern Orchestra. Its existence was always precarious, but the group's size and repertoire increased. During World War II, the orchestra gave concerts in various communities around the region, bringing it to a wider public. The BBC Northern Orchestra continued to gain a strong reputation for performing and broadcasting British music, particularly works by living composers who were often invited to conduct the orchestra.
In 1961, the BBC Northern Orchestra made its first appearance at the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts under the direction of George Hurst. The regional identity of the ensemble began from that point to evolve into a national and international one. After a difficult strike in 1980, the BBC committed to supporting a full orchestra in Manchester, and in 1982, the ensemble was given its current name. Its principal conductor at that time was Edward Downes, who was succeeded in 1991 by Yan Pascal Tortelier. The ensemble's reputation for adventurous programming has expanded to an international scope as well, as composers from various countries have come to conduct the orchestra.
In 1991, the post of composer/conductor was created, with Peter Maxwell Davies being the first appointment. Davies composed several works for the orchestra, including several symphonies culminating with Symphony No. 7, which premiered in 2000. Along the way, he has also recorded a number of his orchestral works for release. Composer James MacMillan was named his successor in 2001. The following year, Gianandrea Noseda was named principal conductor (the title changed to chief conductor in 2006). HK Gruber followed MacMillan as composer/conductor in 2009. In 2011, Noseda was named conductor laureate, and Juanjo Mena became the chief conductor. In 2015, the BBC Philharmonic changed the title of the composer/conductor role to composer in association and appointed Mark Simpson to the position. Mena served as chief conductor until 2018, and Omer Meir Wellber, following a successful guest conductor performance, assumed the chief conductor position in 2019. John Storgårds was named the orchestra's new chief conductor in 2023 after serving as chief guest conductor since 2017.
The BBC Philharmonic has a vast recording catalog comprising hundreds of albums, with the majority of them being on the Chandos label. It has also recorded for Naxos and Albany, among many other labels. In 2023, under conductor Rumon Gamba, it was heard on a recording of orchestral music by Malcolm Arnold, which also featured clarinetist Michael Collins, on the Chandos label.
© James Harley & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Danses symphoniques - Ragtime - Pittsburg Symphony
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Symphonic Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Apr 1997
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Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13: II. Humour
Estonian National Male Choir, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds, Albert Dohmen
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 5 Apr 2024
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Four Notes - Paul's Tune (Arr. by Daniel Whibley)
Paul Harvey, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Redrocca on 22 Oct 2020
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Dohnanyi: Violin Concerto, Concertino & Piano Concerto No. 2
Matthias Bamert, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, James Ehnes, Clifford Lantaff, Howard Shelley
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2004
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Dohnanyi: Piano Concertos. Nos. 1 & 2
Matthias Bamert, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Howard Shelley
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 May 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Enescu: Symphony No. 2 & Romanian Rhapsody No. 2
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 May 1997
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Œuvre pour chœur et orchestre
Huddersfield Choral Society, Christine Bunning, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Chandos on 1 Jan 2004
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Gustav Mahler
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda
Symphonic Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Jan 2008
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Dutilleux: Métaboles, Mystère & Tout un monde lointain
Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Boris Pergamenschikow
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Oct 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Remembering
Jakob Kullberg, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia
Classical - Released by BIS on 3 Sep 2021
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THE FILM MUSIC OF WILLIAM ALWYN VOL.3
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Rumon Gamba
Classical - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2005
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P. Maxwell Davies : Symphonie n°3 - Cross Lane Fair
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Mark Jordan, Peter Maxwell Davies, Rob Lea
Classical - Released by Naxos on 25 Jun 2012
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Symphonie Serana - Symphonie "L'Harmonie du monde"
Dennis Simons, Andrew Orton, Janet Fisher, Tania Maxwell, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Symphonic Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Oct 1993
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MACMILLAN, J.: Into the Ferment / The Berserking / Britannia
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martin Roscoe, James MacMillan
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Jul 2003
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Gregson: Trumpet Concerto, Saxophone Concerto & Concerto for Piano and Wind
Clark Rundell, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Nelson Goerner, Nobuya Sugawa
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Jul 2008
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Macmillan, J.: Scotch Bestiary (A) / Piano Concerto No. 2
Wayne Marshall, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, James MacMillan
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2006
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Concertos pour violon & orchestre
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Lydia Mordkovitch, Vassily Sinaisky
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Oct 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 3, Prince Rostislav & Caprice Bohémien
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jul 2011
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Suite sur des paroles de Michel-Ange
Ildar Abdrazakov, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Feb 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
P. Maxwell Davies : Symphony No.1 - Mavis in Las Vegas
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Maxwell Davies
Classical - Released by Naxos on 20 Feb 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Œuvres orchestrales (Volume 1)
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Symphonic Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo