ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
The ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra is one of four major orchestral ensembles based in Vienna, the others being the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, and Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, or ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, is unique because it is the only radio symphony orchestra in Austria and is thus the official Austrian broadcast orchestra. Its repertory has been broad, taking in pre-Classical, Classical, Romantic, and 20th century music, with a substantial portion devoted to contemporary works.
The Vienna RSO was formed in 1969, from the ORF Symphony Orchestra, a postwar ensemble largely devoted to contemporary music. The new ensemble retained the name of the parent orchestra, and its management appointed the first chief conductor, Milan Horvat (1969-1975), who largely retained the policy of promoting the music of contemporary Austrian composers and works by Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. With the ascension of Leif Segerstam as chief conductor in 1975, the Vienna RSO, while retaining a strong allegiance to 20th century music, began to focus attention on Classical and Romantic works as well. This tendency was expanded further when Lothar Zagrosek (1982-1986) succeeded Segerstam. Zagrosek often played rarely encountered Classical works. Pinchas Steinberg served as chief conductor from 1989-1996. It was in the latter year that the ensemble adopted the name Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. More importantly, the management also appointed Dennis Russell Davies as the new chief conductor. Davies made numerous recordings with the orchestra, almost all focusing on modern or contemporary works by the likes of Berio, Glass, Kancheli, Silvestrov, and Tüür. Bertrand de Billy succeeded Davies in 2002. He was even more active in the recording studio, with well over 20 recordings to his credit, recordings that covered broader repertory, including many standards by Haydn, Beethoven, Dvorák, Debussy, and more. Toward the end of his tenure, de Billy had disputes with orchestra management that led to his decision to step down. In 2009, the orchestra was renamed to its current name, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. That same year, management announced that Cornelius Meister would succeed de Billy in 2010; Meister remained in this post until 2018. In 2019, Marin Alsop assumed the orchestra's chief conductor position, becoming the first woman to hold the post.
The Vienna RSO performs at one of four Viennese locales: the Musikverein, Wiener Konzerthaus, ORF RadioKulturhaus, and the Theater an der Wien. The ensemble receives government funding and is regarded as a cultural goodwill ambassador for Austria. The orchestra gives regular tours abroad; previous trips have taken them throughout Europe, the Americas, China, and Japan. It has recorded for such labels as CPO, Sony Classical, Orfeo, and Oehms Classics, among many others. In 2020, the Vienna RSO was heard on the Capriccio album Ernst von Dohnányi: The Veil of Pierrette, under Ariane Matiakh, and the Naxos album, Morton Gould: Symphonettes Nos. 2-4; Spirituals for Orchestra, under Arthur Fagen.
© Robert Cummings /TiVo
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Nigel Clarke: The Prophecies of Merlin
Peter Sheppard Skærved, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Neil Thomson
Klassiek - Released by Naxos on 23 jun. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elgar & Bridge: Cello Concertos
Gabriel Schwabe, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Ward
Klassiek - Released by Naxos on 26 nov. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dohnányi & Weiner: Orchestral Works
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Roberto Paternostro
Klassiek - Released by CapriccioNR on 6 aug. 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bruch: Double Concertos, Adagio appassionato & Loreley Overture
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Sony Classical - Sony Music on 27 sep. 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Voyages – Orchestral Music by James Lee III
Marin Alsop, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by AVIE Records on 18 mrt. 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Messiaen: Poèmes pour Mi, I/17b & Other Works
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Michael Gielen, Sarah Leonard
Klassiek - Released by Orfeo on 1 jul. 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Fazil Say: 1001 Nights in the Harem, Grand Bazar, China Rhapsody
Iskandar Widjaja, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Sony Classical - Sony Music on 15 feb. 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bruch: Double Concertos, Adagio appassionato & Loreley Overture
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Sony Classical - Sony Music on 27 sep. 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Weber: Euryanthe, Op. 81, J. 291 (Live)
Opera - Released by CapriccioNR on 2 aug. 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Henze: Nachtstücke und Arien, Los caprichos & Englische Liebeslieder
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Juliane Banse, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Marin Alsop
Klassiek - Released by Naxos on 14 jan. 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Winbeck: Symphonies Nos. 2-5
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by TYXart on 18 okt. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dohnányi: The Veil of Pierrette, Op. 18
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ariane Matiakh
Klassiek - Released by CapriccioNR on 7 feb. 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Lortzing: Der Waffenschmied
Gunther Groissbock, Miriam Kutrowatz, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Leo Hussain
Opera - Released by CapriccioNR on 6 jan. 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
J. Strauss II: Ritter Pásmán, Op. 441 (Excerpts) [Live]
Opera - Released by Orfeo on 7 mei 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72 (1805 Version) [Live]
Opera - Released by Orfeo on 5 mrt. 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Weber: Peter Schmoll, Op. 8, J. 8 (Live)
Opera - Released by CapriccioNR on 6 sep. 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Wellesz: The Sacrifice of the Prisoner, Op. 40 (Live)
Opera - Released by CapriccioNR on 2 okt. 2020
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Clarke: Earthrise (Version for Orchestra)
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Neil Thomson
Klassiek - Released by Naxos on 23 jun. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Desert Rose
Malek Jandali, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop
Wereldmuziek - Released by Malek Jandali on 8 aug. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana: Festive Symphony in E Major, Op. 6, JB 1:59
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lothar Zagrosek
Klassiek - Released by Amadis on 2 apr. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo