Columbia Symphony Orchestra
The Columbia Symphony Orchestra was a name linked to numerous ensembles recording at different times for Columbia Records. The name itself was an artifact from a time in which record labels and radio networks assembled and named their own orchestras, or used the name as a "cover" for the use of an orchestra that was contracted elsewhere.
For purposes that concern us here, the "Columbia Symphony Orchestra" name was used by Columbia Masterworks in the 1950s on New York recording sessions with an orchestra comprised of members of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and the NBC Symphony. The label could hire members of those orchestras as freelance players, assemble an orchestra every bit as good as (and perhaps better than) the New York Philharmonic, and pay them for their work without having to pay royalties against sales to the Philharmonic or any of the players other than the conductor or soloist. This orchestra -- as it appeared on monaural recordings made by Bruno Walter in New York between 1954 and early 1956, and with other New York-based conductors into the early '60s -- was a good ensemble, a match for the Philharmonic in the studio. Indeed, one of the most highly acclaimed and best-selling recordings by Leonard Bernstein on the Columbia label -- of George Gershwin's An American in Paris -- was a Columbia Symphony Orchestra recording, not a Philharmonic record.
However, the Columbia Orchestra which appeared on Bruno Walter's stereo recordings from 1957 onward was something different and very special. Walter (1876-1962) had retired at age 80 after a very successful career on Columbia with the New York Philharmonic, where he served as Musical Advisor from 1947 to 1949, and as a frequent guest conductor over the following seven years. In 1957, while living in California, he was approached by Columbia's executives with a new proposal. Told of the advent of stereo recording and the threat that it constituted to the future sales of monaural records, Walter was asked to undertake a new series of recordings in stereo to preserve his interpretations in the most modern sound possible and to allow them to reach new generations of listeners.
The result was a new Columbia Symphony Orchestra, chosen specifically by and for Walter. This group was an ensemble of 50 to 70 members, assembled from the best freelance musicians on the West Coast, many of whom typically never took on orchestral work but made the exception to work with Walter. It was one of the best recording orchestras ever assembled in the United States, incorporating many of the best characteristics of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Leipzig Gewandhaus -- which Walter had conducted in Austria and Germany during the '20s and '30s -- as well as the New York Philharmonic. This orchestra recorded much of the core classical and Romantic repertory under Walter's baton, including the late Mozart symphonies, Mahler's symphonies Nos. 1 and 9, the four Brahms symphonies, Dvorak's symphonies Nos. 8 and 9, Schubert's Ninth, the Wagner orchestral music, and the complete Beethoven symphonies.
© Bruce Eder
Beethoven: Symphonies 1-9 Sony Classical [8] (Walter cond.)
Symphony No. 5 sketches Sony Classical [7] (Bernstein cond.)
Brahms Symphonies 1-4 Sony Classical [7] (Walter cond.)
Bruckner Symphony No. 9 Sony Classical [9] (Walter cond.)
Symphony No. 4 Sony Classical [7] (Walter cond.)
Dvorak Symphony No. 9 Sony Classical [8] (Walter cond.)
Gershwin An American In Paris Sony Classical [8] (Bernstein cond.)
Mahler Symphony No. 1 Sony Classical [8] (Walter cond.)
Symphony No. 9 Sony Classical [8] (Walter cond.)
Mozart Symphonies 25, 35, 38-41 Sony Classical [8] (Walter cond.)
Schubert Symphony No. 9 Sony Classical [8] (Walter cond.)
Stravinsky Rite Of Spring Sony Classical [6] (Stravinsky cond.)
Firebird Suite Sony Classical [6] (Stravinsky cond.) /TiVo
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Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Concerto in D for Violin & Orch., Mvts. for Piano & Orch., Symphony in C, Symphony in 3 Mvts.
Clásica - Editado por Soundmark el 8/06/2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Leonard Bernstein conducts and plays Mussorgsky-Ravel, Gershwin & Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic
Clásica - Editado por Artemisia el 1/03/2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Glenn Gould (Enregistrement de 1957)
Glenn Gould, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Montreal String Quartet, Leonard Bernstein
Clásica - Editado por Naxos el 29/09/2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphony NO. 9 - Symphony NO. 1
Música sinfónica - Editado por Altair el 31/10/2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music of Alban Berg: Four Symphonic Excerpts from "Lulu," Der Wein, & Three Movements from "Lyric Suite," for String Orchestra
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Robert Craft
Clásica - Editado por Soundmark Records el 8/11/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
J.S. Bach, Handel & Tartini: Violin Sonatas & Concertos
Joseph Szigeti, Carlo Bussotti, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, George Szell
Clásica - Editado por Biddulph Recordings el 15/12/2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Orchestral Works
Zino Francescatti, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Jean Morel, Eugene Ormandy
Clásica - Editado por Biddulph Recordings el 31/12/2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Sound Spectacular. Music Of Edgar Varèse Vol. 2: Arcana ‧ Déserts ‧ Offrandes
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Dona Precht
Clásica - Editado por Dnv el 19/04/2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Eileen Farrell as Medea - Scenes from the Opera by Luigi Cherubini
Eileen Farrell, Andre Turp, Ezio Flagello, Arnold Gamson, Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por G.O.P. el 31/07/2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantatas BWV 198 Trauer Ode & BWV 131 Aus der Tiefe (Album of 1960)
Robert Craft, Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por GazzaLadra el 20/03/2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music of Alban Berg: Vol. 1: Lulu: Four Symphonic Exerpts, Der Wein, Lyric Suite: Three Movements for String Orchestra
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Bethany Beardslee
Clásica - Editado por Soundmark el 1/01/1960
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony NO. 9, Wab 109
Música sinfónica - Editado por Altair el 4/11/2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy, Ravel, Honegger & Berlioz
New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, CBS Symphony Orchestra, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Oscar Levant
Clásica - Editado por Altair el 14/03/2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonies Nos. 28, 40 & 41
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter
Pop - Editado por Apollo Spark el 1/10/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphonies No. 1 & 9
Bruno Walter, Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Música sinfónica - Editado por Infinity el 11/04/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Clásica - Editado por Past Classics el 15/01/2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Copland: El Salón México, Music for the Theatre
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic
Clásica - Editado por Past Classics el 20/03/2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert, Wagner & Beethoven: Orchestral Works
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Bruno Walter
Clásica - Editado por Urania Records el 30/09/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonies Nos. 29, 35 & 36
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter
Pop - Editado por Apollo Spark el 1/10/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Benny Goodman's Collaborations: Christmas Edition
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Benny Goodman
Jazz - Editado por Sharp Edge Records el 31/10/2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphonies
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter
Pop - Editado por Grammphon el 1/12/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo