Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra has generally been highly regarded among Russian orchestras of the twentieth and twenty first centuries. In the twentieth century, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic was, on the whole, viewed as the finest Russian orchestra, with the MPO probably a close second. In recent times, however, some critics have hailed the MPO as Russia's finest, comparing it with the Chicago Symphony and Cleveland Orchestras. Over the years the MPO has concertized throughout the world, giving more than 4,000 concerts and making over 300 recordings. The list of conductors leading the ensemble has included some of the most respected artists and composers of the day: Samosud, Kondrashin, Mravinsky, David Oistrakh, Benjamin Britten, Stravinsky, Rozhdestvensky, Kitayenko, Maazel, Mehta, and Penderecki. Most of the MPO's early recordings were made available on the old Soviet label Melodiya, but many of those have been reissued on Brilliant Classics, Moscow Studio Archives, Live Classics, and Globe, while some of the MPO's efforts in the West, such as the Britten and Van Cliburn recordings, have been re-released on EMI and RCA. Newer recordings have appeared on Naxos and other major labels.
The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1951, but did not adopt its current name until 1953. Its founder was veteran Bolshoi Opera conductor Samuel Samosud. The ensemble was initially established for broadcast performances of operatic music. But its mission quickly expanded in the early '50s, when it began playing much contemporary Russian music, as well as repertory standards.
In 1958 Kiril Kondrashin was appointed music director, and under his leadership the ensemble became one of the Soviet Union's finest and most prominent orchestras. Kondrashin used the MPO for the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, famously won (in the piano division) by American Van Cliburn.
Kondrashin recorded heavily with the orchestra, his Shostakovich symphony series being among his most memorable efforts. Dmitri Kitayenko succeeded Kondrashin in 1976, and led the ensemble until 1990. The MPO has had two additional music directors since: Mark Ermler (1996-1998) and Yuri Simonov, who took the helm in 1998.
Simonov has led the orchestra on highly successful tours of the U.S., U.K., and throughout much of Europe. The MPO's 2006-2007 concert schedule included tours of Japan, Germany, and Croatia. Among the MPO's later recordings is the 2004 Naxos CD of the Tischenko Symphony No. 7, led by the orchestra's principal guest conductor, Dmitry Yablonsky.
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Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - The Mercury Masters, Vol. 6
Byron Janis, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1963
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich plays Shostakovich
Dimitri Chostakovitch, Mstislav Rostropovich, Beethoven Quartet, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Praga Digitals on Sep 1, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 by Kirill Kondrashin
Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on Mar 14, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto - Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Humoresques Op. 87 Nos. 1 & 2
David Oïstrakh, USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Concertos - Released by Praga Digitals on Feb 1, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1 - The Mercury Masters, Vol. 4
Byron Janis, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1962
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.3; Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.1
Byron Janis, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 "Babi Yar" - Sergei Prokofiev: October (excerpts)
Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Vitaly Gromadsky, RSFSR Academic Choir
Symphonies - Released by Praga Digitals on Apr 1, 2014
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4 by Kirill Kondrashin
Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on Jun 18, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 by Kirill Kondrashin
Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on Jun 1, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 - Prokofiev: Sonata for Piano No. 8
Evgeny Mogilevsky, Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on Jan 1, 1992
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Objective, Burma !
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, William Stromberg
Classical - Released by Naxos on Oct 6, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spartacus, Suite No. 4 / Masquerade / Circus
St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Anichanov, Dmitry Yablonsky
Ballets - Released by Naxos on Oct 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Adventures of Robin Hood (Original Score)
Film Soundtracks - Released by Naxos on Nov 18, 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonies n° 3 & 8
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Antonio de Almeida
Classical - Released by Marco-Polo on Oct 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Raymonda (Complete Ballet)
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexander Anissimov
Ballets - Released by Naxos on Mar 18, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky, Berlioz & Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin, London Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Evgueni Mravinski
Symphonies - Released by Praga Digitals on Feb 1, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60 "Leningrad" (Live)
Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Urania Records on Oct 15, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Steiner: King Kong
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, William Stromberg
Classical - Released by Marco-Polo on Jan 1, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dmitri Shostakovich: Song of the Forests, Ten Poems & The Sun Shines over Our Motherland
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Ulanov, Ussr Symphony Orchestra, Konstantin Ivanov, Leningrad Radio and TV Chorus, Grigori Sandler
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Praga Digitals on Jun 1, 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 3
Konstantin Scherbakov, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ziva
Classical - Released by Naxos on Apr 28, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Famous Overtures, Vol. 2
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Antonio de Almeida
Classical - Released by Amadis on Jun 20, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo