Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, or, as it is often called, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, was founded in 1888, its first concert taking place on November 3 of that year. Concertgebouw means concert hall in Dutch, and the ensemble adopted that name from the lavish site where it has been based since 1888. The building, known for its splendid acoustics, houses a large auditorium (the Grote Zaal) and a small one (Kleine Zaal).
The Orchestra's first conductor was Willem Kes, who enforced a common etiquette on Dutch audiences previously unobserved: eating, late arrivals, and talking during performance were banned. Kes built the orchestra into a fine one, even if it still fell short of world-class caliber. Upon Kes' departure in 1895, the legendary Willem Mengelberg was appointed music director. He would serve for nearly 50 years in that capacity, molding the orchestra into a first-rate ensemble and making many famous recordings with the group.
During his reign Mengelberg took sabbaticals to conduct other orchestras in Europe and America, including the New York Philharmonic. During his absences, other conductors were engaged to serve as substitutes, including Pierre Monteux and Bruno Walter. While Mengelberg was highly respected and his orchestra widely admired, the repertory tended to be somewhat narrow, focusing largely on the Germanic sphere, especially on Beethoven and Richard Strauss. But he conducted works by Gustav Mahler, and the orchestra featured appearances by Rachmaninov and Prokofiev in performances of their works.
During World War II, Mengelberg sided with the Nazis, and after 1945 was banned from conducting the ensemble for six years. That same year Eduard van Beinum was appointed his successor. He broadened the repertory and maintained the orchestra's high performance standards during his 14 years on the podium. He died in 1959 during a rehearsal, and for the next four years, leadership of the orchestra was shared by Eugen Jochum and Bernard Haitink. Haitink was appointed chief conductor in 1963 and served in that capacity until 1988. During his tenure, the orchestra made numerous highly acclaimed tours and recordings.
Haitink's successor was Riccardo Chailly, who further broadened the repertory of the orchestra, and like his predecessors, produced a spate of critically acclaimed recordings. In 2004, Mariss Jansons was appointed conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Today the ensemble consists of 120 players and is widely considered one of the finest orchestras in the world.
© TiVo
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Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 132: Theme
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Deutsche Grammophon (DG) am 01.01.1943
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 132: Variation V
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Deutsche Grammophon (DG) am 01.01.1943
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 132: Variation VI
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Deutsche Grammophon (DG) am 01.01.1943
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 132: Variation IV
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Deutsche Grammophon (DG) am 01.01.1943
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, TH 13: Valse
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Antal Doráti
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 14.02.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Concerto
Henryk Szeryng, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
Klassik - Erschienen bei Decca Music Group Ltd. am 28.03.1974
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Concertgebouw Series: Grace Moore, Betty van den Bosch, Ria Ginster, Ruth Horna, Jo Vincent
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Grace Moore, Jo Vincent
Klassik - Erschienen bei Intermusic S.A. am 01.01.2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 "Romantic" ("Originalfassung" Edition Robert Haas 1936)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Intermusic S.A. am 24.06.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mengelberg Conducts Rachmaninoff, Trapp, Beethoven: Piano Concertos - Egmont Overture
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Willem Mengelberg, Walter Gieseking
Klassik - Erschienen bei Intermusic S.A. am 01.01.2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Willem Mengelberg
Klassik - Erschienen bei Intermusic S.A. am 24.06.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Klemperer Rarities: Amsterdam, Vol. 6 (1955)
Audience, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Klassik - Erschienen bei Archiphon am 05.06.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonic Masterpieces
Symphonieorchester - Erschienen bei Classical Masters am 01.07.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Retrospective, Vol. 4
Steven Staryk, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mario Bernardi, Bernard Haitink
Klassik - Erschienen bei Centaur Records, Inc. am 05.02.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Retrospective, Vol. 3
Steven Staryk, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Kenneth Gilbert, Vancouver Baroque Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
Klassik - Erschienen bei Centaur Records, Inc. am 01.07.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Variations On A Theme by Haydn / Schubert: Symphony No. 4 / Strauss, R.: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche (Klemperer) (1957)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Klassik - Erschienen bei Music and Arts Programs of America am 08.10.2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony NO. 6, OP. 68 - Symphony NO. 7, OP. 92
Symphonieorchester - Erschienen bei Altair am 08.08.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss - A Hero's Life & Don Juan
Willem Mengelberg, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Willem Mengelberg & Concertgebouw Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Stave am 02.01.2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Conductor's Gallery, Vol. 16: Eduard van Beinum
Eugenia Jareska, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 25.08.2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Symphony, FWV. 48
Symphonieorchester - Erschienen bei Altair am 21.03.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, OP. 40
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Ferdinand Helman
Klassik - Erschienen bei Altair am 23.03.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Conductor's Gallery, Vol. 15: Sir Malcolm Sargent, Eduard van Beinum
National Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Eduard van Beinum
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 25.08.2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo