Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra
The Czech Philharmonic is the leading symphonic ensemble in the musically rich Czech Republic, with a long history of definitive performances and recordings of Czech repertory. The orchestra has sometimes found itself a topic of political contention as the waves of European history have swept across its homeland.
Like many other Central European orchestras, the Czech Philharmonic (the Czech name since 2015 is Česká filharmonie, and the word "orchestra" is no longer part of its name) began as a theater orchestra: a group of orchestral musicians at the Prague National Theatre named themselves the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 1894, and in two years, the wisdom of the move became apparent when Dvořák conducted the group in a concert of his own works. By 1901, the Philharmonic was a fully independent entity, and it quickly gained renown beyond Czech borders; Mahler conducted the orchestra in the world premiere of his Symphony No. 7 in 1908. The most important among the orchestra's early conductors was Vaclav Talich, who held the post of principal conductor for most of the period between 1919 and 1941.
The orchestra's conductors since then have all been internationally renowned figures. Rafael Kubelik assumed the baton under German occupation in 1942, remaining until 1948 but fleeing at that point as Czechoslovakia came under Communist rule. His successors have included Karel Ancerl (who fled to Canada during the Soviet crackdown after the so-called Prague Spring of 1968), Václav Neumann, and Jiří Bělohlávek, all of whom were distinguished interpreters of Czech music, Mahler, and often French and 20th century music as well. Their recordings gained critical acclaim in the West despite Czechoslovakia's partial isolation during the Cold War. In the late '80s, the orchestra participated in Czech protests against Soviet domination. A performance of Smetana's Má vlast in 1990 marked Kubelik's return to his homeland for the first time in 42 years. Bělohlávek served from 1990 to 1992, stepping down as the orchestra appointed Gerd Albrecht to be its first non-Czech conductor. This move generated controversy, and Albrecht also resigned in 1996. He was succeeded by Vladimir Ashkenazy (1996-2003), who led the orchestra on major international tours. He was followed by Zdeněk Mácal and the Eliahu Inbal. Bělohlávek returned in 2012 and was essentially given a contract for life, making critically acclaimed recordings before his death in 2017. Since 2018, the orchestra's conductor has been Semyon Bychkov.
The Czech Philharmonic has recorded prolifically during the digital era, at first mostly for the Czech national label Supraphon. In the late 2010s, the group has also recorded for the Decca label, which has continued to issue Bělohlávek recordings in its vaults. In 2019, his reading of Josef Suk's Asrael Symphony appeared on that label. The Bychkov era began on Decca with The Tchaikovsky Project (2019), a complete cycle of the composer's symphonies, concertos, and other orchestral works. In 2022, Bychkov and the Philharmonic issued a pair of Mahler symphony releases on the PentaTone Classics label. By that time, the group's recording catalog comprised some 140 digital albums, plus many LPs issued when the Philharmonic was the national orchestra of Czechoslovakia.
© James Manheim /TiVo
Diskografie
8 Album, -en • Geordnet nach Bestseller
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Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn: Fireworks
Klassik - Erschienen bei Navona am 14.04.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Michael G. Cunningham: Paragonia
Klassik - Erschienen bei Navona am 11.11.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Luminescence
Klassik - Erschienen bei Navona am 09.09.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cantata for the Children of Terezin
Anonyme, Oxnaya Oleskaya, Kiev King Singers, Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra
Chorwerk (für den Chor) - Erschienen bei Ravello Records am 03.07.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classical Legends - Rimsky Korsakov
Klassik - Erschienen bei GR8Media (Hong Kong) Ltd am 01.01.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Liderman: Barcelonazo, Glimpses & Refrains
Eastman Musica Nova, Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata de las Americas, Mark Davis Scatterday, Robert Ian Winstin, José Luis Castillo
Klassik - Erschienen bei Bridge Records am 20.02.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spellbound: Captivating works for Orchestra and Large Ensemble
Moravian Philharmonic Chamber Players, Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra Olomouc, Petr Vronský, Robert Ian Winstin
Klassik - Erschienen bei Navona am 07.05.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Incompatibility Issues
Klassik - Erschienen bei Orchestronics am 10.08.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo