BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
The BBC Philharmonic, based in the city of Salford in northern England's Greater Manchester county, is one of the most important orchestras in the United Kingdom, distinguishing itself by its sheer visibility and solid commitment to contemporary British music that has included the establishment of a composer/conductor position. Its home concert venue is Manchester's Bridgewater Hall. The people of the Manchester area and the north of England are rightly proud of their radio orchestra. With so much British culture and finance administered in London, there is an independent spirit driving the culture of the north. The BBC Philharmonic has not only survived, but it has thrived. It has developed a character distinct from that of the larger BBC Symphony Orchestra, based in London: more populist, perhaps, but also more adventurous and -- with the orchestra's large recording catalog, generous outreach programs, and international tours -- more entrepreneurial.
The BBC Philharmonic's history is rather checkered, for it has had to endure numerous crises. In 1922, prior to the official establishment of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Manchester had a radio station known as 2YZ, housed on the premises of the Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company. Early on, a small orchestra was established for broadcasts; it concentrated mainly on light music but expanded on occasion for performances of symphonic repertoire and opera. The station gained a reputation for broadcasting British music, including the first radio performances of music by Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, and William Walton. When the BBC was established in 1927, the 2YZ orchestra was renamed the Northern Wireless Orchestra; later, it became the BBC Northern Orchestra. Its existence was always precarious, but the group's size and repertoire increased. During World War II, the orchestra gave concerts in various communities around the region, bringing it to a wider public. The BBC Northern Orchestra continued to gain a strong reputation for performing and broadcasting British music, particularly works by living composers who were often invited to conduct the orchestra.
In 1961, the BBC Northern Orchestra made its first appearance at the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts under the direction of George Hurst. The regional identity of the ensemble began from that point to evolve into a national and international one. After a difficult strike in 1980, the BBC committed to supporting a full orchestra in Manchester, and in 1982, the ensemble was given its current name. Its principal conductor at that time was Edward Downes, who was succeeded in 1991 by Yan Pascal Tortelier. The ensemble's reputation for adventurous programming has expanded to an international scope as well, as composers from various countries have come to conduct the orchestra.
In 1991, the post of composer/conductor was created, with Peter Maxwell Davies being the first appointment. Davies composed several works for the orchestra, including several symphonies culminating with Symphony No. 7, which premiered in 2000. Along the way, he has also recorded a number of his orchestral works for release. Composer James MacMillan was named his successor in 2001. The following year, Gianandrea Noseda was named principal conductor (the title changed to chief conductor in 2006). HK Gruber followed MacMillan as composer/conductor in 2009. In 2011, Noseda was named conductor laureate, and Juanjo Mena became the chief conductor. In 2015, the BBC Philharmonic changed the title of the composer/conductor role to composer in association and appointed Mark Simpson to the position. Mena served as chief conductor until 2018, and Omer Meir Wellber, following a successful guest conductor performance, assumed the chief conductor position in 2019. John Storgårds was named the orchestra's new chief conductor in 2023 after serving as chief guest conductor since 2017.
The BBC Philharmonic has a vast recording catalog comprising hundreds of albums, with the majority of them being on the Chandos label. It has also recorded for Naxos and Albany, among many other labels. In 2023, under conductor Rumon Gamba, it was heard on a recording of orchestral music by Malcolm Arnold, which also featured clarinetist Michael Collins, on the Chandos label.
© James Harley & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Liszt: Symphonic Poems, Vol. 2
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2006
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Respighi: La Boutique fantasque, La pentola magica & Prelude and Fugue in D Major
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2003
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Rimsky-Korsakov: Works for Orchestra
Vassily Sinaisky, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2007
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Korngold: Military March, Cello Concerto, Symphonic Serenade & Piano Concerto
Matthias Bamert, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Dixon, Howard Shelley
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 1996
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Casella: Italia, Introduzione, corale e marcia & Symphony No. 3
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda
Classical - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2013
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Wolf-Ferrari: Orchestral Works
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Karen Geoghegan
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Mar 2009
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The Orchestral Music of Jonathan Dove
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Lawrence Zazzo, Timothy Redmond
Classical - Released by Orchid Classics on 17 May 2019
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The Film Music of Sir Arthur Bliss
Rumon Gamba, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Cinema Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Mar 2001
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Pierné: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2
Juanjo Mena, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2015
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Ben-Haim: Music of Israel
Omer Meir Wellber, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudia Barainsky, John Bradbury
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2020
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Isotonic: Commissions for Clarinet by Burrell, Boden, Watkins & Jenkins
Robert Plane, Gould Piano Trio, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Resonus Classics on 21 Jul 2023
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Scott: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra & Symphony No. 1
Martyn Brabbins, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Watkins
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Feb 2008
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Casella: Concerto for Orchestra, A notte alta & Symphonic Fragments from La Donna Serpente
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martin Roscoe
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 May 2012
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Glinka: Orchestral Works
Vassily Sinaisky, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2000
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bax: Four Orchestral Pieces, Phantasy for Viola and Orchestra & Orchestra, Elegy and Rondo
Andrew Davis, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Philip Dukes
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2014
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Dutilleux: Complete Orchestral Works
Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martyn Hill, Neal Davies, Olivier Charlier, Boris Pergamenschikow
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2000
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Pierné : Orchestral Works, Vol. 2
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Juanjo Mena
Classical - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2015
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Lipkin: Symphonies Nos. 1-3
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Lionel Friend, Sir Edward Downes, Adrian Leaper
Classical - Released by Lyrita on 1 Apr 2015
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Busoni: Orchestral Works
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Bradbury, Nelson Goerner, Neeme Järvi
Classical - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2017
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Fauré: Orchestral Works
Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Kathryn Stott, Peter Dixon, Richard Davis
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Oct 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Film Music of Miklós Rózsa
Rumon Gamba, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Cinema Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Mar 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo