English 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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Orquestas de Oro, Vol. 5
Musiques du monde - Paru chez Divucsa le 4 nov. 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Simple Man: The Ballet (1987 Northern Ballet Recording)
Carl Davis, English Chamber Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez First Night Records le 31 déc. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos, Nos. 26 "Coronation" & 27
Orozco Rafael, English Chamber Orchestra, Charles Dutoit
Classique - Paru chez Warner Classics le 1 janv. 1981
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sacred Choral Masterpieces (Chefs-d'œuvre sacrés pour chœur)
English Chamber Orchestra, Johannes Somary
Classique - Paru chez Vanguard le 27 avr. 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Eighteenth Century Shakespearean Songs
April Cantelo, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Classique - Paru chez Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. le 1 janv. 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 28 & 38
English Chamber Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
Classique - Paru chez Decca Music Group Ltd. le 1 janv. 1963
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Great Classical Music #135 : Richard Strauss // Ottorino Respighi // Igor Stravinskij
Boston Symphony Orchestra, I Musici, English Chamber Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Ermitage Records le 14 août 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
Anthony Lewis, English Chamber Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Music Manager le 21 juil. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Most Magic Moments of Mozart: Divertimentos Nos. 10 & 11 & Symphony No. 34, K. 338
English Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonia Of London, Sir Colin Davis
Classique - Paru chez Jube Classic le 16 sept. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Martucci: La Canzone dei Ricordi – Respighi: Il Tramonto
Carol Madalin, English Chamber Orchestra, Alfredo Bonavera
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 avr. 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Clarinet in Concert, Vol. 2: Spohr, Rietz, Solère & Heinze
Thea King, English Chamber Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 nov. 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Süssmayr & Tausch: Clarinet Concertos
Thea King, English Chamber Orchestra, Leopold Hager
Classique - Paru chez Hyperion le 1 févr. 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonies from Strauss, Respighi & Stravinskij
Boston Symphony Orchestra, I Musici, English Chamber Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Ermitage Rc le 14 août 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brilliant Baroque
English Chamber Orchestra, Anthony Lewis, Zagrebački Solisti
Classique - Paru chez Music Manager le 4 nov. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Seasons Interrupted
Trey Lee, English Chamber Orchestra
Musique de chambre - À paraître le 17 mai 2024 chez Signum Records
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Cello Concerto: IV. Finale
Trey Lee, English Chamber Orchestra, Emilia Hoving
Musique de chambre - Paru chez Signum Records le 16 avr. 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Monsignor Quixote (Remastered 2022)
Classique - Paru chez Red Bus Classical le 15 janv. 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: The Rape of Lucretia
English Chamber Orchestra, Reginald Goodell
Opéra - Paru chez Sunday Club Records le 11 août 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Trumpet Concertos
Crispian Steele-Perkins, English Chamber Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez CarltonClassics le 1 janv. 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo