Hugh Wolff
Hugh Wolff, one of the few American conductors to enjoy a truly international reputation, has become especially renowned for his advocacy of contemporary music. Wolff, born in Paris to American parents, received a thorough musical training; he pursued formal studies in piano, composition, and conducting, earning degrees from Harvard University and the Peabody Institute. He also had the opportunity to study composition with Olivier Messiaen and conducting with Charles Bruch in Paris.
Wolff's conducting career began in 1979, when he was appointed Exxon/Arts Endowment Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra; he served as associate conductor of that ensemble, then led by Mstislav Rostropovich, from 1982 to 1985. During that period he also served as music director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic (1981-1986), his first such appointment. In 1985 became music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, a post he retained until 1992. From the 1980s to the present he has also appeared frequently as a guest conductor throughout the United States and Europe, including appearances with the Czech Philharmonic, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Israel Philharmonic.
Wolff came into new prominence through his association with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, which he led as principal conductor (1988-1991) and music director (1991-2000). During his tenure there, he recorded over 20 compact discs -- more than those of any other conductor of the SPCO -- of repertoire ranging from Vivaldi to Dvorak to Ravel to new works by young composers like Edgar Meyer. He also led the ensemble on a well-received European tour.
Between 1997 and 2006 Wolff served as chief conductor of the Radio Orchestra of Frankfurt. In 2001, his recordings of Antheil's Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6 and of Barber's and Meyer's violin concertos, with Hilary Hahn, won Cannes Classical awards.
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Discography
13 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Respighi: Pini di Roma, Fontane di Roma, Feste Romane, Trittico botticciellano, Gli Uccelli & Antiche danze e arie
Hugh Wolff, Carlo Rizzi, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Warner Classics International on 1 Jan 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Turnage / Scofield: Scorched
John Scofield, John Patitucci, Peter Erskine, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, hr-Bigband, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Panufnik: Cello Concerto
Mstislav Rostropovich, London Symphony Orchestra, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by NMC Recordings on 1 Sep 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Georges Delerue: Music from the Films of Francois Truffaut
London Sinfonietta, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by Nonesuch on 11 Jul 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Warsaw Concerto - romantic piano classics from the silver screen
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, The Cleveland Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Piano Sonata No. 2
Elisabeth Leonskaja, Hugh Wolff, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Warner Classics International on 1 Jan 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paderewski: Piano Concerto
Ewa Kupiec, Hugh Wolff, RSO Frankfurt
Classical - Released by Koch Schwann on 26 Sep 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kernis: Second Symphony, Musica Celestis, Invisible Mosaic II
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Hugh Wolff
Symphonic Music - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 8 Jan 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stravinsky: Pulcinella, Renard, Suites & Ragtime
Jennifer Larmore, John Aler, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 1 Jan 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Antheil: Symphony No. 3 "American" & Other Works for Orchestra
Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by CPO on 1 Nov 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kernis: Symphony No. 2, Musica Celestis & Invisible Mosaic III
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by Phoenix USA on 1 Jan 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Antheil: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6
Hr-sinfonieorchester, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by CPO on 16 May 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Antheil: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5
Hr-sinfonieorchester, Hugh Wolff
Classical - Released by CPO on 14 Nov 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo