Orchestre De La Suisse Romande
Established at the end of a devastating war that had enveloped nearly all of Europe except for Switzerland, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande was named for the French-speaking portion of the small nation. Through the tenacity and devotion of its founder, conductor Ernest Ansermet, it became a regional, then national institution and grew despite problems resulting from the global economic instability between the World Wars. Ansermet's gifts for diplomacy were called into play both in maintaining an important advocacy for the best new music and for facing down disputes between partisans of Geneva, where the orchestra made its home, and Lausanne. Although Lausanne had a respectable orchestra, Geneva (where Ansermet had become a conductor in 1915) could boast only an ensemble that primarily accompanied performances at the opera house and performed only the occasional symphonic program. Once the determination to establish L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande was made, Ansermet began recruiting his players. While some musicians were drawn from the existing Geneva ensemble, the 34-year-old conductor sought his string players from Italy, his horn players from Vienna, and his woodwind players from Paris. With a complement of 62 on stage at Geneva's Victoria Hall, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande made its debut on November 30, 1918, performing an ambitious program of Handel, Mozart, Benner, Jaques-Dalcroze, and for the program's second half Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. The following week, Ansermet and the orchestra presented an entire program of music by Debussy, who had died the previous March. Thus was initiated a direction that would mark the orchestra's path throughout its 50 years under its founding maestro. As Ansermet established himself as an outstanding interpreter of Bartók, Britten, Debussy, de Falla, Hindemith, Honegger, Martin, Martinu, Ravel, Roussel, and Stravinsky, so followed his orchestra. Although certain forces strove to move the emphasis away from contemporary music and closer to the Classical/Romantic standards identified with Europe's other major orchestras, Ansermet continued to champion the works of his own time and to shape his players to be strong advocates for that repertoire. To end the bickering that threatened to break apart symphonic life in the French-speaking cities and cantons, Ansermet devised a plan wherein those municipalities that enjoyed live performances by the OSR would support the orchestra through the Associations of Friends of L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, divisions of which were begun in both Geneva and Lausanne. The public was encouraged to join, along with radio and business sponsors. The OSR has performed numerous premieres by Swiss composers and, as the opera orchestra for the Geneva Grand Theatre, has introduced several important stage works, including operas by Martin (Monsieur de Pourceaugnac), Milhaud (La mère coupable), and Liebermann (La Forêt). For the orchestra's Golden Jubilee in 1968, Ansermet once again led Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. At Ansermet's invitation, Paul Kletzki had been asked to assume responsibility for the orchestra beginning in 1967 and he remained as chief conductor until 1970. At that time, German conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch became artistic director and established himself as a favorite with the public, albeit in a repertoire centered around German/Austrian composers. From 1980 to 1985, Horst Stein continued the ongoing embrace of Central European Classical and Romantic tradition, winning particular approval for his work in the Grand Theatre. Armin Jordan (1985-1997) and Fabio Luisi followed, both balancing repertoires and theater and symphonic interests. Pinchas Steinberg was designated the OSR's artistic director in September 2002. Marek Janowski was signed to conduct the orchestra from 2005 to 2015, though he chose to depart at the end of the 2011-2012 season. In 2010, Neeme Järvi was announced as artistic and musical director, with Kazuki Yamada named as principal guest conductor.
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Debussy: La Mer; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune; Jeux, etc.
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 2002
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Manuel de Falla: El Amor Brujo, Concierto para clave y 5 instrumentos, Canciones Populares Españolas, Piezas Españolas, Fantasía Bética
Victoria de los Angeles, Marina De Gabarain, Alicia de Larrocha, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Klassiek - Released by Praga Digitals on 1 apr. 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Elgar & Tchaikovsky: Cello Works with Orchestra
Johannes Moser, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Andrew Manze
Klassiek - Released by PENTATONE on 1 feb. 2017
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: Peer Gynt
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Dietrich Henschel, Inger Dam-Jensen, Sophie Koch
Klassiek - Released by AEON on 15 mrt. 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn & Tchaikovsky : Violin Concertos
Arabella Steinbacher, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Charles Dutoit
Concerten voor viool - Released by PENTATONE on 1 jun. 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Falla: Noches en los Jardines de España, El sombrero de tres picos
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Kazuki Yamada, Mari Kodama, Sophie Harmsen
Klassiek - Released by PENTATONE on 1 mei 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Falla: El Sombrero de Tres Picos; La Vida Breve; El Amor Brujo
Teresa Berganza, Marina de Gabarin, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 27 jul. 2016
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saens: Piano Concertos Nos.2 & 5 etc
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Charles Dutoit
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bartok : The Two Violin Concertos
Arabella Steinbacher, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Marek Janowski
Klassiek - Released by PentaTone on 24 aug. 2010
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns, Poulenc & Widor: Works for Organ
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Christopher Jacobson, Kazuki Yamada
Klassiek - Released by PENTATONE on 1 jun. 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Falla: The Three Cornered Hat
Teresa Berganza, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 9 apr. 1961
24-Bit 176.4 kHz - Stereo -
Khachaturian: Spartacus, Gayaneh (Suites) / Glazounov : Les Saisons
Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Aram Ilyitch Khatchaturian, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Balletten - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 2000
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Armin Jordan conducts Debussy, Roussel & Chausson (Live)
Felicity Lott, Armin Jordan, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande
Klassiek - Released by audite Musikproduktion on 4 sep. 2020
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Martha Argerich Live, Vol. 9
Martha Argerich, Charles Dutoit, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande
Klassiek - Released by DOREMI on 21 okt. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
FRANCK: Symphony in D minor / CHAUSSON: Symphony in B flat major
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Marek Janowski
Klassiek - Released by PENTATONE on 1 jan. 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: The Orchestral Masterpieces
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48 by Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Ansermet, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Gérard Souzay
Klassiek - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 4 apr. 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Arthur Honegger, Vol. 1: Pacific 231, Rugby, Pastorale d'été & Symphonie No. 1
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Fabio Luisi
Symfonische muziek - Released by RTS Radio Télévision Suisse - Evasion Music on 20 okt. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bizet: Symphony in C Major / Jeux D'Enfants / La Jolie Fille de Perth
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Symfonische muziek - Released by Radio Tower Records on 24 okt. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jarrell: …prisme / incidences...
Emmanuel Pahud, Paul Meyer, François Leleux, Orchestre De La Suisse Romande
Klassiek - Released by AEON on 13 sep. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Arthur Honegger, Vol. 2 : Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Fabio Luisi
Symfonische muziek - Released by RTS Radio Télévision Suisse - Evasion Music on 20 okt. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo