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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Donizetti : L'elisir d'amore
Roberto Alagna, Mariella Devia, English Chamber Orchestra, Marcello Viotti
Oper - Erschienen bei Warner Classics International am 01.06.1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Giuliani & Vivaldi: Guitar Concertos
Eduardo Fernández, English Chamber Orchestra, George Malcolm
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos.24 & 25
Mitsuko Uchida, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pachelbel's Canon & Other Baroque Favorites
Klassik - Erschienen bei Sony Classical am 01.05.1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tartini : Violin Concertos
Salvatore Accardo, I Musici, English Chamber Orchestra
Violinkonzerte - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 01.01.1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Arias
Kiri Te Kanawa, Mitsuko Uchida, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 09.09.1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Concerto for 3 Pianos and Orchestra (No. 7) in F, KV 242 'Lodron'; Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra (No. 10) in E flat, KV 365 (Fou Ts’ong – Complete Westminster Recordings, Volume 10)
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Fou Ts'ong, English Chamber Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 01.01.1975
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
O Sole Mio - Neapolitan Folk Songs
José Carreras, English Chamber Orchestra, Edoardo Muller
Klassik - Erschienen bei Philips am 01.01.1981
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Klavierkonzert Nr. 21 'Elvira Madigan'
Instrumentalmusik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.10.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach, J.S.: Johannes-Passion
Peter Pears, Wandsworth School Boys Choir, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1972
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Serenade in D Minor, Op. 44, B. 77 & Serenade in E Major, Op. 22, B. 52
Charles Mackerras, English Chamber Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra Wind Ensemble
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1983
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concertos pour piano n° 21 & 23
Daniel Barenboim, English Chamber Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 04.04.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Duruflé: Requiem & 4 Motets
Corydon Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Matthew Best
Klassik - Erschienen bei Hyperion am 01.02.1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach, J.S.: The Complete Orchestral Works
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gluck: Opera Arias
(Dame) Janet Baker, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 26 "Coronation" & 27
Orozco Rafael, English Chamber Orchestra, Charles Dutoit
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1981
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 22 & 23
Daniel Barenboim, English Chamber Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Requiem; Psalms 112 & 114
Corydon Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Matthew Best
Klassik - Erschienen bei Hyperion am 01.11.1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
José Carreras - Granada
José Carreras, English Chamber Orchestra, Roberto Benzi
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1982
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bellini/Molique/Moscheles: Oboe Concertos
Heinz Holliger, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Eliahu Inbal, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.01.1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Pleasure of Love
José Carreras, English Chamber Orchestra, Vjekoslav Sutej
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 01.03.1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo