Staatskapelle Dresden
The Staatskapelle Dresden (or Dresden State Orchestra), also known as the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, is one of Europe's oldest continuously operating performing arts organizations. It has numbered some of Europe's most famous composers and conductors among its music directors, and amid changing fashions, it has enjoyed an almost unbroken reputation for high quality.
The orchestra dates back to 1548, when Dresden was part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was founded by the Elector Moritz of Saxony to accompany the court chorus in the new large choral compositions of the time. It evolved from an even older group, the Kurfürstlich-Sächsische und Königlich-Polnische Kapelle. During the 17th century, its music directors included Heinrich Schütz, who was closely associated with the orchestra for over half the century. As opera grew at the Dresden court, one of the orchestra's main functions was to accompany the leading German opera company of the day, and Johann Adolf Hasse was the Kapellmeister (or music director) from 1734 to 1763. The orchestra and opera persisted through the unrest of late 18th century Europe, emerging as an operatic center under Carl Maria von Weber in the early Romantic era. Other famous names to conduct the orchestra in opera were Richard Wagner -- who called it a "magic harp" and premiered Rienzi, Die fliegende Holländer, and Tannhäuser there -- and, later, Richard Strauss.
In 1858, the Staatskapelle Dresden began giving concerts of symphonic music, and here again, its reputation grew quickly. Music directors since the turn of the 20th century have included Fritz Reiner, Karl Böhm, Herbert Blomstedt, Bernard Haitink, and, since 2012, Christian Thielemann. In 2013, the Staatskapelle Dresden became the resident ensemble of the Salzburg Easter Festival, where Thielemann also serves as artistic director. In the 21st century, the orchestra began a composers-in-residence program; holders of position have included Hans Werner Henze, Sofia Gubaidulina (twice), Arvo Pärt, and, in 2021 and 2022, Matthias Pintscher.
The orchestra's recording catalog is large, including multiple releases almost every year since 1990 on such labels as Berlin Classics, Denon, and Deutsche Grammophon. In 2017, the orchestra, under Thielemann, released a recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 in E flat major ("Romantic"), on the Profil - Edition Günter Hänssler label. A live recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 1, with Thielemann once again leading the orchestra, was issued in 2021. Many of the Staatskapelle Dresden's historical performances have also been remastered and re-released.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Alfonso und Estrella
Klassiek - Released by Brilliant Classics on 1 jan. 1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Weber: Klarinettenkonzerte No. 1 & 2
Staatskapelle Dresden, Oskar Michallik, Kurt Sanderling
Klassiek - Released by Eterna on 1 jan. 1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Sinfonie No. 8
Staatskapelle Dresden, Herbert Blomstedt
Symfonische muziek - Released by Eterna on 1 jan. 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Klavierkonzerte No. 15 & 21
Annerose Schmidt, Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Klassiek - Released by Eterna on 6 aug. 1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
VERDI, G.: Forza del destino (La) [Opera] (Highlights) (Sung in German) (Patane)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Giuseppe Patané
Opera - Released by Eterna on 1 jan. 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Konzertarien für Sopran und Orchester (1)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Jeanette Scovotti, Herbert Blomstedt
Opera - Released by Eterna on 1 jan. 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fritz Busch - 1919?, 1931, 1948-51
Staatskapelle Dresden, Orchester des Württembergischen Landes-Theaters, Dansk Radiosymfoniorkestret
Klassiek - Released by Guild Music on 31 mei 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 & 6 Piano Pieces, Op. 118
Sunwook Kim, Staatskapelle Dresden, Myung-Whun Chung
Klassiek - Released by Accentus Music on 11 sep. 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"
Claudio Arrau, Staatskapelle Dresden, Sir Colin Davis
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 11 apr. 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Reflection
Hélène Grimaud, Staatskapelle Dresden, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
R. Strauss : Eine Alpensinfonie op.64
Staatskapelle Dresden, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peter Schreier singt Weihnachtslieder (Remastered)
Peter Schreier, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch
Kerstmuziek - Released by Eterna on 1 sep. 1975
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Concerto pour clarinette & Sinfonie concertante
Sabine Meyer, Staatskapelle Dresden, Hans Vonk
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 1 okt. 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6 "Pastoral", 7 & 8; Overtures
Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Karl Böhm
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 1993
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Aria Cantilena
Elina Garanca, Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concerto pour piano n° 5 - Sonate pour piano n° 28
Hélène Grimaud, Staatskapelle Dresden, Vladimir Jurowski
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fröhliche Weihnacht überall
Dresdner Kreuzchor, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Dresdner Philharmonie
Klassiek - Released by Berlin Classics on 17 nov. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: The Piano Concertos
Claudio Arrau, Staatskapelle Dresden, Sir Colin Davis
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 (Live From Semperoper, Dresden / 2013)
Maurizio Pollini, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 In C Minor / Strauss, R.: Metamorphoses
Staatskapelle Dresden, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 jan. 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lise de la Salle: A Portrait
Lise de La Salle, Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi, Lisbon Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra, Lawrence Foster, Gábor Boldoczki
Klassiek - Released by naïve classique on 19 nov. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo