Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Tremendously versatile and musically polished, the English Chamber Orchestra is considered one of the most distinguished chamber orchestras in the world. Similar in musical philosophy and organization to the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the ensemble is financially self-supporting and has no permanent home venue. The orchestra presents an annual concert series in London and also tours internationally. Over its history, the ensemble has expanded its repertoire to include a wide range of chamber music from various musical periods and is flexible in size, ranging from 24 to 38 musicians. The English Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Neil Thomson, issued the recording Serenata: Brazilian Music for Chamber Orchestra in 2022.
The English Chamber Orchestra was formed in 1948 by Arnold Goldsborough to perform Baroque music. Originally named the Goldsborough Orchestra, the ensemble changed its name to the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) in 1960 in accordance with the needs of the group's growing reputation. At the same time, the "English Chamber Orchestra and Music Society" charity was formed as the promotion arm of the organization. Like many other chamber orchestras, the ECO employs no full-time musicians but hires its players on a contract basis. This allows the orchestra to be flexible in size and structure according to the needs of its repertoire and concert venues and also gives the musicians the opportunity to work in a variety of other situations. The freedom this provides is key to the fresh approach this orchestra takes in its performances through its use of a system of co-principal groupings of players. Under this system, two principal players share each chair and are contracted to play a set number of performances in a given season.
The ECO has performed for numerous important occasions, including a command performance before Queen Elizabeth II at the Queen Elizabeth Hall inaugural concert in 1967. Other performances of note are the first color television recording of music for the BBC and the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Wales in 1981. The ensemble has been associated with the music of Benjamin Britten since it became the resident orchestra at the 1961 Aldeburgh Festival. The ECO has toured extensively, including tours throughout Europe, the U.S., and China.
Until 1985, the orchestra chose to work without a principal conductor, instead inviting a series of talented guest artists to lead the ensemble. The ECO has a reputation for giving young conductors important opportunities. Among those who have benefited from this policy are Sir Colin Davis, Daniel Barenboim, and Pinchas Zukerman. During the orchestra's Silver Anniversary celebration in 1985, it was announced that Jeffrey Tate had been chosen to fill the newly created position of principal conductor, and in 2000, he was succeeded by Ralf Gothóni. Paul Watkins has also served as music director, and Roy Goodman has served as the orchestra's principal guest conductor. Stephanie Gonley has been the orchestra's leader since 1997 and has also directed the orchestra from her violin.
The ECO can be heard on hundreds of recordings on all of the major labels, including a significant number on EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, and Sony, among others. The highlights for the ECO include three complete Mozart piano concerto cycles featuring Daniel Barenboim on EMI Classics, Mitsuko Uchida on Philips, and Murray Perahia on Sony Classical. In 2019, the ECO was led from the keyboard by Benjamin Hochman in a recording of Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 17 & 24, on Avie. More Mozart recordings followed in the early 2020s, and in 2022, conductor Neil Thomson led the ECO on the release Serenata: Brazilian Music for Chamber Orchestra.
© Corie Stanton Root & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Mozart: The Violin Concertos
Julia Fischer, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg
Concertos - Released by PENTATONE on 25 Jan 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35 & 36
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolic
Classical - Released by TACET Musikproduktion on 17 Jul 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Cantatas BWV 170 & 169, Sacred Arias, Sacred Lieder
Aafje Heynis, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 7 Jul 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart, W.A.: Serenade No. 7, K. 250, Haffner
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolic
Classical - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Jan 2008
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Violin Concertos 3, 4, Adagio & Rondo
Julia Fischer, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg
Concertos - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Sep 2005
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 4 & 2 (Herman Krebbers Edition, Vol. 8)
Herman Krebbers, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 1 Jan 1976
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 13 & 24
Martin Helmchen, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolic
Classical - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Aug 2007
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert, F.: Symphonies No. 4 "Tragic" and No. 5
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolic
Classical - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Aug 2009
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Andriessen: Miroir de Peine, Orchestral Music & Concertos
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Thierry Fischer, David Porcelijn
Classical - Released by Brilliant Classics on 25 Jun 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Frank Martin: Choral Works
Netherlands Chamber Choir, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Kees-Jan de Koning, Kathrin Pfeiffer, Myra Kroese, Tõnu Kaljuste
Classical - Released by Donemus Musicians' Voice on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Sinfonia concertante, Rondo & Concertone
Gordan Nikolic, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Julia Fischer, Yakov Kreizberg
Concertos - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Oct 2007
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Sinfonia Concertante in B-Flat Major / Symphony No. 100, "Military"
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolic, Herre-Jan Stegenga, Toon Durville, Margreet Bongers
Classical - Released by PENTATONE on 1 May 2007
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
BRITTEN: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge / HARTMANN: Concerto funebre / BARTOK: Divertimento
Gordan Nikolic, Beverley Lunt, Richard Wolfe, Herre-Jan Stegenga, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Annette Zahn
Classical - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Jan 2005
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Violin Concertos 1, 2 & 5
Julia Fischer, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg
Concertos - Released by PENTATONE on 1 Aug 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Violin Concerto No. 1 / Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 2
Isabelle van Keulen, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Antoni Ros Marbà
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Dec 1984
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Sinfonia concertante, K. 364 & Symphony No. 40, K. 550
Gordan Nikolic, Richard Wolfe, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by TACET Musikproduktion on 3 Jul 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
J. Chr. Bach: Sinfonien
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Philips on 1 Jan 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classic Collection - Strauss, R.: Also Sprach Zarathustra / Metamorphosen / Don Juan / Till Eulenspiegel / Rosenkavalier Suite
Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Hartmut Haenchen, Sir Neville Marriner
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on 1 Jan 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos BWV 1046-1051
Szymon Goldberg, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 20 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gounod: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 (Live)
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolic
Classical - Released by TACET Musikproduktion on 24 Jul 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
De Lange: Requiem
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Uwe Gronostay
Miscellaneous - Released by Brilliant Classics on 24 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo