Australian Chamber Orchestra
Tremendously versatile and musically polished, the English Chamber Orchestra is considered one of the most distinguished chamber orchestras in the world. Similar in musical philosophy and organization to the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the ensemble is financially self-supporting and has no permanent home venue. The orchestra presents an annual concert series in London and also tours internationally. Over its history, the ensemble has expanded its repertoire to include a wide range of chamber music from various musical periods and is flexible in size, ranging from 24 to 38 musicians. The English Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Neil Thomson, issued the recording Serenata: Brazilian Music for Chamber Orchestra in 2022.
The English Chamber Orchestra was formed in 1948 by Arnold Goldsborough to perform Baroque music. Originally named the Goldsborough Orchestra, the ensemble changed its name to the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) in 1960 in accordance with the needs of the group's growing reputation. At the same time, the "English Chamber Orchestra and Music Society" charity was formed as the promotion arm of the organization. Like many other chamber orchestras, the ECO employs no full-time musicians but hires its players on a contract basis. This allows the orchestra to be flexible in size and structure according to the needs of its repertoire and concert venues and also gives the musicians the opportunity to work in a variety of other situations. The freedom this provides is key to the fresh approach this orchestra takes in its performances through its use of a system of co-principal groupings of players. Under this system, two principal players share each chair and are contracted to play a set number of performances in a given season.
The ECO has performed for numerous important occasions, including a command performance before Queen Elizabeth II at the Queen Elizabeth Hall inaugural concert in 1967. Other performances of note are the first color television recording of music for the BBC and the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Wales in 1981. The ensemble has been associated with the music of Benjamin Britten since it became the resident orchestra at the 1961 Aldeburgh Festival. The ECO has toured extensively, including tours throughout Europe, the U.S., and China.
Until 1985, the orchestra chose to work without a principal conductor, instead inviting a series of talented guest artists to lead the ensemble. The ECO has a reputation for giving young conductors important opportunities. Among those who have benefited from this policy are Sir Colin Davis, Daniel Barenboim, and Pinchas Zukerman. During the orchestra's Silver Anniversary celebration in 1985, it was announced that Jeffrey Tate had been chosen to fill the newly created position of principal conductor, and in 2000, he was succeeded by Ralf Gothóni. Paul Watkins has also served as music director, and Roy Goodman has served as the orchestra's principal guest conductor. Stephanie Gonley has been the orchestra's leader since 1997 and has also directed the orchestra from her violin.
The ECO can be heard on hundreds of recordings on all of the major labels, including a significant number on EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, and Sony, among others. The highlights for the ECO include three complete Mozart piano concerto cycles featuring Daniel Barenboim on EMI Classics, Mitsuko Uchida on Philips, and Murray Perahia on Sony Classical. In 2019, the ECO was led from the keyboard by Benjamin Hochman in a recording of Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 17 & 24, on Avie. More Mozart recordings followed in the early 2020s, and in 2022, conductor Neil Thomson led the ECO on the release Serenata: Brazilian Music for Chamber Orchestra.
© Corie Stanton Root & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Dances to a Black Pipe
Martin Fröst, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by BIS on Oct 31, 2011
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Richard Tognetti, Australian Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by BIS on Jan 1, 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn – Mozart
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Aug 30, 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto (Recorded live in City Recital Hall, Sydney, Australia, 11–16 February 2020)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Oct 27, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Heroines (Live from City Recital Hall, Sydney, 2018)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti, Nicole Car
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Oct 5, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn: Octet For Strings Op.20/Sinfonia No.9 "Swiss"
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Nov 5, 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Scenes
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Nov 13, 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61 - Mozart: Symphony No. 40
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anthony Halstead, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Oct 9, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
ACO Originals – Olli Mustonen: Sonata for Cello and Chamber Orchestra (Live from Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 2015)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Timo-Veikko Valve, Olli Mustonen
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Jun 26, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Il Tramonto (The Sunset)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Nov 15, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Movements (For Us and Them) (ACO Originals, Live from City Recital Hall, Sydney, 2018)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on May 29, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Janacek: Kreutzer Sonata for Strings / Barber: Adagio for Strings / Walton: Sonata for Strings
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Jul 1, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
ACO Originals – Brett Dean: Electric Preludes (Live from City Recital Hall, Sydney, 2013)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Jul 17, 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vein til mesterne et lyttekurs i klassisk musikk
Robert Groslot, Australian Chamber Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by Music 4me on Nov 20, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart Arias with Obbligato Intruments
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti, Yvonne Kenny
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Apr 29, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spirit: Mendelssohn, Mozart, Ravel, Veress, Shostakovich
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Nov 3, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
String Quartets for String Orchestra
Richard Tognetti, Australian Chamber Orchestra
Chamber Music - Released by Chandos on Jan 1, 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sculthorpe: Port Essington / 3 Sonatas for Strings / Lament / Irkanda IV
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Aug 16, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphony, Serenade and Suites
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Apr 30, 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lyric for Strings
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on May 5, 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Suite from Run Rabbit Run: I. Year of the Ox (Live from City Recital Hall, Sydney, 2019)
Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti
Classical - Released by ABC Classic on Oct 7, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo