BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is Scotland's national broadcasting orchestra and considered one of the leading orchestras in Europe. It is one of the five full-time BBC orchestras, and the oldest full-time radio orchestra in Scotland. While most of its performances are in studio for the BBC, it has enjoyed success performing throughout the U.K. and internationally.
The BBC SSO was founded as the BBC Scottish Orchestra in 1935 by conductor and composer Ian Whyte while he served as the first head of music in Scotland for the BBC. Originally located in Edinburgh, the orchestra moved in 1938 to its newly built home in Glasgow. Throughout World War II, the orchestra continued broadcasting its live studio performances for the BBC Home and World Services. Following the war, Whyte expanded the size of the orchestra and in 1948 began the orchestra's annual trip to perform in the Edinburgh Festival. However, the majority of its performances remained in studio.
In 1960, Norman Del Mar was named principal conductor. In 1961, Del Mar lead the BBC Scottish Orchestra, along with the Scottish National Orchestra, in the U.K. premiere of Stockhausen's Gruppen für drei orchester. The following year he would lead the orchestra in its first performance at the BBC Proms. The orchestra expanded further under Del Mar, and in 1963 was renamed the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Following Del Mar's departure in 1965, the BBC SSO had a number of principal conductors, including James Loughran (1965-1971), Christopher Seaman (1971-1977), and Jerzy Maksymiuk (1983-1993). In 2003, Ilan Volkov became the youngest chief conductor of a BBC orchestra; during Volkov's tenure, the orchestra moved to its new home at City Halls in Glasgow. He served as chief conductor until 2009. In 2016, Thomas Dausgaard was named chief conductor with a contract running through 2022.
In the 1990s, while continuing to perform for BBC programming, the BBC SSO began performing more often in public. It went on international tours across Europe, the Americas, India, and China. The orchestra also attended more festivals, including the Cheltenham Festival and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
Alongside its live broadcast performances, the BBC SSO has released a multitude of commercial recordings, with a majority on the Hyperion label. The BBC SSO under Dausgaard released a recording of Sibelius' Kullervo in 2019 on Hyperion.
© Keith Finke /TiVo
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Moszkowski: Piano Concerto, Op. 3 (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 68)
Ludmil Angelov, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Kiradjiev
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Jul 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Somervell: Highland Concerto – Cowen: Concertstück (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 54)
Martin Roscoe, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 30 Aug 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bridge: Oration: IV. Allegro giusto – Tranquillo
Laura van der Heijden, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ryan Wigglesworth
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 3 May 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Earth, Sea, Air, British Music for Cello and Orchestra
Laura van der Heijden, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ryan Wigglesworth
Symphonies - To be released on 31 May 2024 by Chandos
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68: No. 1, Joc cu bâta
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Onyx Classics on 22 Mar 2024
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Divertimento for Strings, Sz. 113: I. Allegro non troppo
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Onyx Classics on 15 Mar 2024
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Miraculous Mandarin, Sz. 73: I. Introduction
Thomas Dausgaard, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by PM Classics Ltd. on 19 Feb 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stojowski & Wieniawski: Violin Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 20)
Bartłomiej Nizioł, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Łukasz Borowicz
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 29 Jul 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sterndale Bennett: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3 (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 74)
Howard Shelley, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 2 Mar 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 & Other Works (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 19)
Jack Liebeck, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 31 Dec 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Młynarski & Zarzycki: Violin Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 15)
Eugene Ugorski, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Michał Dworzynski
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 31 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stravinsky: Complete Music for Piano & Orchestra
Steven Osborne, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 2 Jun 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lassen, P. Scharwenka & Langgaard: Violin Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 22)
Linus Roth, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Antony Hermus
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 31 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Donald Runnicles
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 2 Dec 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alexander Goehr: Piano Concerto, Op. 33 & Symphony in 1 Movement, Op. 29
London Sinfonietta, Peter Serkin, Oliver Knussen, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Richard Bernas
Classical - Released by NMC Recordings on 1 Feb 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain
Steven Osborne, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ludovic Morlot
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 2 Jun 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bronsart & Urspruch: Piano Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 77)
Emmanuel Despax, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Tzigane
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 28 Sep 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Busoni & R. Strauss: Violin Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 16)
Tanja Becker-Bender, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Garry Walker
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 27 Jul 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Kullervo Symphony, Op. 7
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 28 Jun 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Violin Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto 13)
Anthony Marwood, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Douglas Boyd
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 31 Aug 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Henryk Melcer-Szczawinski: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 44)
Jonathan Plowright, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Christoph König
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Jan 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo