Jerzy Semkow
Jerzy Semkow was one of the more successful conductors specializing in late 19th century Russian repertory. A onetime student of Erich Kleiber, Bruno Walter, and Tulio Serafin, Semkow brought much of the panache of that generation of early 20th century conductors to a repertory they never embraced, primarily Russian Romantic music.
Semkow's education began at the State High School in Krakow. In 1951, he began attending the Leningrad Conservatory, studying with Boris Khaikin, and he later studied in the West with Erich Kleiber, Bruno Walter, and Tulio Serafin. In 1954, he took a two-year appointment at the Leningrad Philharmonic as the assistant to Mravinsky, which was followed by two years as a conductor with the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra. In 1959, Semkow became the artistic director and principal conductor of the Warsaw National Opera, a post he held until 1962. From 1966 until 1976, he was principal conductor of the Danish Royal Opera. His American debut came in 1968 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and he also appeared as a guest conductor with the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. He also conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra and made his first appearance at Covent Garden conducting a performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni. From 1976 until 1979, he held the post of music director of the St. Louis Symphony. Then he becamethe music director of the Italian Radio Orchestra in Rome.
Semkow recorded for several different labels since the early 1970s, and the list of works he conducted includes concertos by Nielsen and Chopin, and Scriabin's Symphony No. 2. His biggest contribution to recorded music, however, may lie with his recordings of Borodin's Prince Igor and Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, both done for EMI, which hold up extremely well as performances.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
Similar artists
Discography
13 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
-
The Masterpieces - Schumann: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish"
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Jerzy Semkow
Klassiek - Released by Menuetto Classics on 11 mei 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Concertos
Rafał Blechacz, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jerzy Semkow
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2
Tamás Vásáry, Ivo Pogorelich, Berliner Philharmoniker, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), Jerzy Semkow, Claudio Abbado
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Borodin: Prince Igor
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 1 jan. 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen - Helios Overture, Op. 17
Jerzy Semkow, Royal Danish Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Vox on 3 mrt. 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1, Op.11 & No.2, Op.21
Tamás Vásáry, Berliner Philharmoniker, Jerzy Semkow, János Kulka
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 1965
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Symfonie 1, 2, 3 & 4
Jerzy Semkow, Narodowa Orkiestra Symfoniczna Polskiego Radia w Katowicach
Klassiek - Released by Polskie Radio on 24 jan. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Knudåge Riisager: Suite from Ballet "Études"
Jerzy Semkow, Royal Danish Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Vox on 2 dec. 2022
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Qarrtsiluni, Op. 36
Jerzy Semkow, The Royal Danish Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Vox on 27 jan. 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Jerzy Semkow
Klassiek - Released by Vox Box on 1 jan. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonie n°5 (Piotr Ilyitch Tchaïkovski)
Klassiek - Released by CD Accord on 29 mrt. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9 (Franz Schubert)
Symfonische muziek - Released by CD Accord on 28 mei 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Szymanowski:Symphonies Nos. 2-4; Harnasie, etc (Jerzy Semkow/Jacek Kaspszyk/Antoni Wit/Polish Radio Chorus of Krakow/Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra)
Symfonische muziek - Released by EMI Classics on 28 nov. 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo