Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Although young compared to the other major symphonic ensembles of the Czech Republic, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, based in Prague, has an international reputation. It is a versatile ensemble whose activities extend into pop, film music, and video game music as well as standard classical repertory.
The Czech National Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1993 by trumpeter Jan Hasenöhrl and veteran conductor Zdeněk Košler. Košler served as chief conductor until 1996, but since then, two of the orchestra's three chief conductors have been American: Paul Freeman, one of the few African American conductors to have been active in Europe, served from 1996 to 2007, and in 2019, Steven Mercurio took up the baton. From 2007 to 2019, Libor Pešek was the chief conductor. The CNSO performs at Smetana Hall in Prague, and sometimes at the older Rudolfinum. The group often plays traditional symphonic concerts, and under Pešek, it recorded a complete cycle of the symphonies of Mahler. The orchestra has toured Europe, North America, and East Asia, and more unusually Oman and Dubai. The group has backed major opera stars in concert, including Andrea Bocelli, Rolando Villazón, and Jonas Kaufmann, and founded the annual Prague Proms music festival. Additionally, the orchestra has backed pop artists and jazz artists as varied as Sting, Angélique Kidjo, and Wynton and Branford Marsalis.
The CNSO also often records film scores and has collaborated several times with legendary film composer Ennio Morricone. The group was heard on the soundtrack of The Hateful Eight (2015), the Quentin Tarantino-directed Western that brought Morricone his first Academy Award. The CNSO has been heard on several major Swedish pop albums, and in 2003, it presented (in Leipzig, Germany) the first orchestral concert outside Japan of music written for video games. In addition to the Pešek Mahler cycle, the orchestra often records for the Naxos label, with a particular specialty in the music of composer Zdeněk Fibich. In 2019, the orchestra released the album Tony Banks: 5 on Naxos.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Tchaikovsky & Grieg: Piano Concertos
Stewart Goodyear, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Stanislav Bogunia
Classical - Released by Steinway and Sons on 10 Jun 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Armadillo (The Soundtrack)
Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Uno Helmersson
Film Soundtracks - Released by Helmer on 12 Aug 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Jewish Music, Vol. 1 - Azrieli Music Prizes
Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Steven Mercurio
Classical - Released by Groupe Analekta, Inc on 5 Oct 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Maria
Rona Castrioti, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Enrico M.R. Fallea
Classical - Released by Modern Classical X on 7 Jul 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Michaels, Patrice: La Vie Est Une Parade
Patrice Michaels, Chicago Chamber Musicians, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Cedille on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Die Moldau
4 Tenoři, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by SUPRAPHON a.s. on 23 Feb 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paul Freeman Introduces, Vol. XI
Paul Freeman, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Dec 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Slay the Princess Live (Original Game Soundtrack) (Live)
Brandon Boone, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Soundtracks - Released by Brandon Boone on 29 Mar 2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Worn
Cabin Fever Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Graeme Cornies
Classical - Released by Voodoo Highway Publishing on 6 Mar 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Freedom over Everything (feat. Black Thought) (James Poyser & Stro Elliot Remix)
Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Modern Recordings on 3 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sweet Child O' Mine (Orchestral Version)
Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Rock - Released by Cleopatra Records on 30 Mar 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Flóttin
Elin Brimheim Heinesen, Enzo De Rosa, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Martinka
Classical - Released by Tutl on 15 Sep 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Freedom Over Everything (feat. Black Thought & Logan Richardson) (Lumen Remix)
Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Modern Recordings on 25 Mar 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Freedom over Everything
Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Modern Recordings on 2 Jul 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Witness
Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra; Paul Freeman
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Sep 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Freedom over Everything (feat. Black Thought) (Edit Version)
Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Modern Recordings on 7 May 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Freedom over Everything (feat. Black Thought & Logan Richardson) (Lumen Remix)
Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Modern Recordings on 25 Mar 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music of Tibor Serly
Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Oct 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paul Freeman Introduces, Vol. 4
Paul Freeman, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Nov 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paul Freeman Introduces James Mobberley
Paul Freeman, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Jul 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paul Freeman Introduces, Vol. 1
Paul Freeman, Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Albany Records on 1 Nov 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo