Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
There may be more confusion over the identity of this orchestra than any other major ensemble in the West, not least because it has had three names over the years. Founded in 1946 in the American sector of Berlin, the orchestra was formed while Berlin (and most of Germany) was emerging from the destruction of the war. The ensemble was given the name of RIAS Symphony Orchestra, the initials standing for "Radio in the American Sector." In 1956, the ensemble adopted the name of Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, by which many concertgoers and record collectors still know it.
In 1993, the orchestra was renamed Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. In part, the change was necessary to avoid confusion with another Berlin ensemble, the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Berlin, often listed on recordings and in catalogs in German as Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. And here is where the confusion worsens: this latter group is often now mistakenly listed on Internet sites, in reference works, and in catalogs as the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra. Actually, such a translation of their German name would normally be quite acceptable.
In any event, the new Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin was led by music director Vladimir Ashkenazy and had as its principal guest conductor Günter Wand. The former became music director in 1989 when he succeeded Riccardo Chailly. The orchestra plays subscription series at both the Philharmonie in Berlin and the Konzerthaus, located in the former East Berlin. Eliahu Inbal, Gerd Albrecht, Lothar Zagrosek, and other distinguished conductors have frequently led the orchestra. Zagrosek made several important recordings with the Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin for Decca. The group has also recorded for Denon, Orfeo, Capriccio, and CPO. Following the tenure of Ingo Metzmacher from 2007 to 2010, Tugan Sokhiev was named as the principal conductor and artistic director, with a contract beginning in 2012. Robin Ticciati followed Sokhiev, assuming the principal conductor post in 2017. The Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin is the most significant orchestra in Berlin after the Berlin Philharmonic.
© Robert Cummings /TiVo
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Dvořák: Symphony 9, Smetana: The Moldau, Liszt: Préludes
Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Mar 1988
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony 9, Smetana: The Moldau, Liszt: Préludes
Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Mar 1988
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: The Symphonies
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maurice Ravel : L'Enfant et les sortilèges - L'Heure espagnole - Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov : Capriccio espagnol - Igor Stravinsky : The Song of the Nightingale (2 CDs)
Orchestre National de France, Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Lorin Maazel
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg on 1 Jan 1997
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2; Bartók: Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra ; Liszt: 2 Études de Concert, S. 145
Geza Anda, Eberhard Finke, Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Apr 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: Concerto For Orchestra; Music For Strings, Percussion & Celesta
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, RIAS Symphonie-Orchester, Ferenc Fricsay
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1996
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Airs d'opéras français et italiens (Stereo Version)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3; Suite No.2 for 2 Pianos
Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Boieldieu / Saint-Saëns / Tailleferre / Ravel: Harp Concertos
Nicanor Zabaleta, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ernst Märzendorfer, Orchestre National de France, Jean Martinon
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jul 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Flute & Harp Concerto / Reinecke: Harp Concerto / Rodrigo: Concerto-Serenade
Karlheinz Zoeller, Nicanor Zabaleta, Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ernst Märzendorfer
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler 10 (Performing Edition by Deryck Cooke)
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Symphony in D minor / Mendelssohn: Symphony No.5
Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Lorin Maazel
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg & Schumann: Piano Concertos
Jorge Bolet, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Oct 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Boccherini: Menuet extrait du Quintette, G. 275 - Schubert: Marche militaire No. 1 (Orchestral Version, Mono Version)
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Christoph von Dohnányi
Classical - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1957
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 0; Overture in G minor
Riccardo Chailly, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 20 Oct 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grace Bumbry singt Opern-Arien (Stereo Version)
Grace Bumbry, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, János Kulka
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Johann Strauss II: Walzer Und Polkas
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Igor Stravinsky : The Firebird Suite - Manuel de Falla : El Amor Brujo - El Sombrero De Tres Picos
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Lorin Maazel
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1966
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (Mono Version)
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Maria Stader
Classical - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite / Falla: El Amor Brujo; El Sombrero De Tres Picos
Grace Bumbry, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Lorin Maazel
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1966
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: Piano Concertos Nos.1-3
Geza Anda, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo