English Chamber Orchestra
Tremendously versatile and musically polished, the English Chamber Orchestra is considered one of the most distinguished chamber orchestras in the world. Similar in musical philosophy and organization to the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the ensemble is financially self-supporting and has no permanent home venue. The orchestra presents an annual concert series in London and also tours internationally. Over its history, the ensemble has expanded its repertoire to include a wide range of chamber music from various musical periods and is flexible in size, ranging from 24 to 38 musicians. The English Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Neil Thomson, issued the recording Serenata: Brazilian Music for Chamber Orchestra in 2022.
The English Chamber Orchestra was formed in 1948 by Arnold Goldsborough to perform Baroque music. Originally named the Goldsborough Orchestra, the ensemble changed its name to the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) in 1960 in accordance with the needs of the group's growing reputation. At the same time, the "English Chamber Orchestra and Music Society" charity was formed as the promotion arm of the organization. Like many other chamber orchestras, the ECO employs no full-time musicians but hires its players on a contract basis. This allows the orchestra to be flexible in size and structure according to the needs of its repertoire and concert venues and also gives the musicians the opportunity to work in a variety of other situations. The freedom this provides is key to the fresh approach this orchestra takes in its performances through its use of a system of co-principal groupings of players. Under this system, two principal players share each chair and are contracted to play a set number of performances in a given season.
The ECO has performed for numerous important occasions, including a command performance before Queen Elizabeth II at the Queen Elizabeth Hall inaugural concert in 1967. Other performances of note are the first color television recording of music for the BBC and the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Wales in 1981. The ensemble has been associated with the music of Benjamin Britten since it became the resident orchestra at the 1961 Aldeburgh Festival. The ECO has toured extensively, including tours throughout Europe, the U.S., and China.
Until 1985, the orchestra chose to work without a principal conductor, instead inviting a series of talented guest artists to lead the ensemble. The ECO has a reputation for giving young conductors important opportunities. Among those who have benefited from this policy are Sir Colin Davis, Daniel Barenboim, and Pinchas Zukerman. During the orchestra's Silver Anniversary celebration in 1985, it was announced that Jeffrey Tate had been chosen to fill the newly created position of principal conductor, and in 2000, he was succeeded by Ralf Gothóni. Paul Watkins has also served as music director, and Roy Goodman has served as the orchestra's principal guest conductor. Stephanie Gonley has been the orchestra's leader since 1997 and has also directed the orchestra from her violin.
The ECO can be heard on hundreds of recordings on all of the major labels, including a significant number on EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, and Sony, among others. The highlights for the ECO include three complete Mozart piano concerto cycles featuring Daniel Barenboim on EMI Classics, Mitsuko Uchida on Philips, and Murray Perahia on Sony Classical. In 2019, the ECO was led from the keyboard by Benjamin Hochman in a recording of Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 17 & 24, on Avie. More Mozart recordings followed in the early 2020s, and in 2022, conductor Neil Thomson led the ECO on the release Serenata: Brazilian Music for Chamber Orchestra.
© Corie Stanton Root & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Haydn: Symphony Nos 100 & 103
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 08.01.2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lully: Pièces de Symphonie - Campra: L'Europe Galante
English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Kammermusik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Limited am 01.01.1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clásicos Inolvidables Vol. 31, Zarzuela
English Chamber Orchestra, José Carreras, Teresa Berganza
Operette - Erschienen bei ADAGIO am 12.08.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas: III. Primavera Porteño (Arr. for Cello & Chamber Orchestra by Trey Lee)
Trey Lee, English Chamber Orchestra
Kammermusik - Erschienen bei Signum Records am 02.04.2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
English Chamber Orchestra plays Vivaldi, Handel & Telemann
English Chamber Orchestra, Antonio Vivaldi
Klassik - Erschienen bei UME - Global Clearing House am 25.05.2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lehár: Paganini (Sung in English)
Richard Bonynge, English Chamber Orchestra, Deborah Riedel, Jerry Hadley, Naomi Itami, Lynton Atkinson
Klassik - Erschienen bei Telarc am 24.06.1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Overtures
English Chamber Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elly Ameling sings Mozart (Elly Ameling – The Philips Recitals, Vol. 6)
Elly Ameling, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 01.01.1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lost Generation
Ulrike Anton, Russell Ryan, English Chamber Orchestra, David Parry
Klassik - Erschienen bei Gramola Records am 07.01.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
World Anthems
World Music - Erschienen bei RCA Victor am 30.09.1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No.1, 2 & 3
Klassik - Erschienen bei imp am 01.01.2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rutland Boughton: The Immortal Hour
Alan G. Melville, English Chamber Orchestra, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
Klassik - Erschienen bei Hyperion am 01.04.1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
More Magic Moments of Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 33, & 36 and Oboe Concerto in C Major, K. 314
English Chamber Orchestra, Léon Goosens, Sir Colin Davis, Sinfonia Of London
Klassik - Erschienen bei Jube Classic am 01.04.2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Opera & Concert Arias (Elly Ameling – The Philips Recitals, Vol. 5)
Elly Ameling, English Chamber Orchestra, Edo de Waart
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 01.01.1973
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maw: Sinfonia - Gardner: Theme & Variations - Dodgson: Sonata - Addison: Divertimento
English Chamber Orchestra, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Norman Del Mar
Klassik - Erschienen bei Lyrita am 01.04.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, Concerti a due cori Nos. 2 & 3
Hedwig Bilgram, Karl Richter, English Chamber Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Deutsche Grammophon (DG) am 01.01.1973
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Un concierto de "Género Chico" - Teresa Berganza
English Chamber Orchestra, Teresa Berganza
Operette - Erschienen bei Piros - Send am 01.01.1975
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56
Alexander Gibson, English Chamber Orchestra, Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio
Instrumentalmusik - Erschienen bei Chandos am 01.07.2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concertos pour violon
Jose Luis Garcia, English Chamber Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Ensayo am 01.01.1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jacob, Downey & Andriessen: Works for Bassooon
Robert Thompson, Geoffrey Simon, London Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra
Instrumentalmusik - Erschienen bei Chandos am 01.05.1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo