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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Stravinsky: Violin Concerto, Orchestral Works
James Ehnes, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Davis
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 5 Jan 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Weinberg: Dawn; Symphony No. 12
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 20 Oct 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Pierre Sancan: A Musical Tribute
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Adam Walker, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 5 May 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Coates: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Wilson
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 9 Jun 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Feb 2014
Gramophone: Recording of the Month24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Poulenc: Concertos for Piano
Edward Gardner, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Hélène Mercier, Louis Lortie
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 16 Oct 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Sep 2010
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Coates: Orchestra Works, Vol. 1
John Wilson, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Oct 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14, Six Verses of Marina Tsvetayeva
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds, Elizabeth Atherton, Peter Rose, Jess Dandy
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 7 Jul 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies
John Storgårds, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 31 Mar 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stravinsky: Orchestral Works
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Davis
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 11 Nov 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: Cello Symphony, Symphonic Suite from Gloriana & Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Edward Gardner, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, Paul Watkins
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Mar 2011
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
George Lloyd: The Symphonies Nos. 7-12
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Albany Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, George Lloyd
Classical - Released by Lyrita on 5 Apr 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Casella: Symphonies & Symphonic Fragments from La Donna Serpente
Gianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Apr 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Holst: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2
Sir Andrew Davis, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester Chamber Choir
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 3 Feb 2011
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Copland: Orchestral Works, Vol. 4
John Wilson, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
George Lloyd: The Symphonies Nos. 1-6
George Lloyd, Albany Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Lyrita on 1 Mar 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Poulenc, Widor & Guilmant: Organ Concertos
Ian Tracey, Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Mar 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ginastera: Piano Concerto No. 2, Panambí
Juanjo Mena, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Xiayin Wang, Ladies of Manchester Chamber Choir
Concertos - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
MacMillan: Symphony No. 4 & Viola Concerto
Lawrence Power, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 29 May 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 12 and 15
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 3 Mar 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo