The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
In the decades since its founding, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra has earned a reputation as a distinguished ensemble with an extensive concert schedule, wide-ranging repertoire, and a significant representation on recordings. In 2021, the orchestra was heard on the album Xiaogang Ye: Winter, as well as a recording of Mozart Concertos, backing Francesca Dego.
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is the direct descendant of the Scottish Orchestra, founded in Glasgow in 1891. Throughout its first 40 years, the Scottish Orchestra had a series of principal conductors, beginning with George Henschel from 1893 until 1895. In 1933, while the orchestra -- along with the rest of the world -- was facing financial difficulties, subscribers and patrons kept the ensemble afloat. That year, John Barbirolli assumed the post of principal conductor; since that time, the orchestra has been helmed by many well-known conductors, including George Szell, Walter Süsskind, and Alexander Gibson (the first Scot to lead the ensemble and the longest-tenured), among others. Under Süsskind's leadership, with the establishment of the Scottish National Orchestra Society with monies from several Scottish cities, the Scottish Orchestra became a permanent ensemble, changing its name to the Scottish National Orchestra in 1950.
During its early years, the orchestra played its Glasgow concerts in the acoustically wonderful St. Andrew's Hall. From the time the hall was destroyed by fire in 1962, the Scottish National Orchestra played in a series of venues of varying suitability. In 1977, during Gibson's tenure, Queen Elizabeth II granted the orchestra royal patronage; Gibson also earned his knighthood that year during the Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours. The redesign of the Trinity Church on Claremont Street in 1979 gave the Scottish National Orchestra a new home: Henry Wood Hall. In 1991, the orchestra changed its name to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, affirming its royal patronage. It was briefly named the Royal Scottish Orchestra but reverted to its present name in 1992.
While the orchestra boasts a wide-ranging repertoire, it has been singled out for its recordings of Bruckner, Barber, and 20th century British composers like Bax, MacMillan, and Holst. It has also earned a particular reputation for recorded performances of film scores, including a Gramophone Award in 1997 for its recording of Bernard Herrmann's score to Vertigo. In 2015, the orchestra moved to its current home, the RSNO Centre at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Neeme Järvi (principal conductor from 1984 until 1988) is the orchestra's conductor laureate, and Alexander Lazarev (principal conductor from 1997 until 2005) is conductor emeritus. Following a six-year stint as principal guest conductor, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra appointed Thomas Søndergård its music director, effective in 2018. In 2021, the orchestra was heard on a collection of works by Xiaogang Ye on BIS and, under Roger Norrington, backed Francesca Dego on a Chandos recording of Mozart Concertos.
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Chisholm: Symphony No. 2 - Hold: The Unreturning Spring - Fogg: Merok & Sea Sheen
Erik Chisholm, The BBC Concert Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Classical - Released by Dutton Epoch on 22 Oct 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 7 & The Golden Spinning Wheel
Neeme Järvi, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jan 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite
Alexander Gibson, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Susan Tyte, Adrian Shepherd
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jul 1985
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Kindertotenlieder & Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen - R. Strauss: Notturno
Linda Finnie, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Edwin Paling, Neeme Järvi
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Chandos on 1 Mar 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
125 Years of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
F. Blumenfeld & G. Catoire: Symphonies
Felix Blumenfield, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Classical - Released by Dutton Epoch on 1 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elinor Remick Warren - The Legend of King Arthur
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, The BBC Concert Orchestra
Classical - Released by Dutton Epoch on 1 Nov 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
4x10: Four 10-Minute Operas
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Jonathan Sheffer
Opera - Released by Navona on 1 Mar 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Music of Edward Collins, Vol. 6
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Chorus
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Apr 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Still: Orchestral Works
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Zina Schiff, Avlana Eisenberg
Classical - Released by Naxos on 27 May 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Somewhere In Time (Original Motion Picture)
John Barry, John Debney, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Film Soundtracks - Released by Varese Sarabande on 1 Jan 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy: Préludes, Books 1 & 2 (Orch. P. Breiner)
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Classical - Released by Naxos on 27 Aug 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Barber: Adagio for Strings
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Classical - Released by Naxos Special Projects on 2 Jun 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lost Palace
Nicole Brady, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Classical - Released by Bright Shiny Things on 17 Nov 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 - Matthews: Pluto, the Renewer
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones
Classical - Released by Naxos Special Projects on 3 Jul 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Massenet: Orchestral Works
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Poppy Shotts, Aleksei Kiseliov, Jean-Luc Tingaud, Maya Iwabuchi
Classical - Released by Naxos on 9 Oct 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Frontiers
Jerry Goldsmith, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Film Soundtracks - Released by Varese Sarabande on 1 Jan 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 - Scriabin: Piano Concerto in F-Sharp Minor
Xiayin Wang, Peter Oundjian, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Tone Poems
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Phyllis Bryn-Julson, Alexander Gibson
Classical - Released by Chandos on 1 Aug 1985
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos (Edinburgh International Festival)
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Lothar Koenigs, Dorothea Röschmann, David Butt Philip, Brenda Rae
Classical - Released by Linn Records on 24 Dec 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Suppé: Overtures and Marches
Neeme Järvi, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Dec 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo