Staatskapelle Dresden
The Staatskapelle Dresden (or Dresden State Orchestra), also known as the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, is one of Europe's oldest continuously operating performing arts organizations. It has numbered some of Europe's most famous composers and conductors among its music directors, and amid changing fashions, it has enjoyed an almost unbroken reputation for high quality.
The orchestra dates back to 1548, when Dresden was part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was founded by the Elector Moritz of Saxony to accompany the court chorus in the new large choral compositions of the time. It evolved from an even older group, the Kurfürstlich-Sächsische und Königlich-Polnische Kapelle. During the 17th century, its music directors included Heinrich Schütz, who was closely associated with the orchestra for over half the century. As opera grew at the Dresden court, one of the orchestra's main functions was to accompany the leading German opera company of the day, and Johann Adolf Hasse was the Kapellmeister (or music director) from 1734 to 1763. The orchestra and opera persisted through the unrest of late 18th century Europe, emerging as an operatic center under Carl Maria von Weber in the early Romantic era. Other famous names to conduct the orchestra in opera were Richard Wagner -- who called it a "magic harp" and premiered Rienzi, Die fliegende Holländer, and Tannhäuser there -- and, later, Richard Strauss.
In 1858, the Staatskapelle Dresden began giving concerts of symphonic music, and here again, its reputation grew quickly. Music directors since the turn of the 20th century have included Fritz Reiner, Karl Böhm, Herbert Blomstedt, Bernard Haitink, and, since 2012, Christian Thielemann. In 2013, the Staatskapelle Dresden became the resident ensemble of the Salzburg Easter Festival, where Thielemann also serves as artistic director. In the 21st century, the orchestra began a composers-in-residence program; holders of position have included Hans Werner Henze, Sofia Gubaidulina (twice), Arvo Pärt, and, in 2021 and 2022, Matthias Pintscher.
The orchestra's recording catalog is large, including multiple releases almost every year since 1990 on such labels as Berlin Classics, Denon, and Deutsche Grammophon. In 2017, the orchestra, under Thielemann, released a recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 in E flat major ("Romantic"), on the Profil - Edition Günter Hänssler label. A live recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 1, with Thielemann once again leading the orchestra, was issued in 2021. Many of the Staatskapelle Dresden's historical performances have also been remastered and re-released.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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German Opera Choruses
Silvio Varviso, Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Nov 14, 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphony No. 33 / A Musical Joke
Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Classical - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schostakowitsch: Sinfonie No. 1 & 11
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Herbert Kegel, Staatskapelle Dresden, Franz Konwitschny
Symphonic Music - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1967
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Otmar Suitner - Kapellmeister-Edition, Vol. 5
Staatskapelle Dresden, Staatskapelle Berlin & Otmar Suitner
Symphonies - Released by Berlin Classics on Sep 19, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
MOZART, W.A.: Concert Arias (Geszty, Dresden Staatskapelle, Suitner)
Sylvia Geszty, Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Classical - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Sinfonien No. 5 & 7 "Die Unvollendete"
Staatskapelle Dresden, Peter Schreier
Symphonic Music - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
Staatskapelle Dresden, Herbert Blomstedt
Classical - Released by Brilliant Classics on Sep 14, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Rudolf Buchbinder, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Sep 3, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Betrachte, meine Seel
Thomas Quasthoff, Staatskapelle Dresden, Sebastian Weigle
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana: Die verkaufte Braut (Highlights)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Opera - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: La Traviata (Highlights - Sung in German)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Giuseppe Patané
Opera - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1972
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss: Hornkonzerte No. 1 & 2
Peter Damm, Staatskapelle Dresden, Heinz Rogner
Classical - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
STRAUSS, R.: Salome [Opera] (Suitner)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Full Operas - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Siegfried's Life
Ben Heppner, Staatskapelle Dresden, Peter Schneider
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Betrachte, meine Seel
Thomas Quasthoff, Staatskapelle Dresden, Sebastian Weigle
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet - Mussorgsky: St. John's Night on Bald Mountain - Borodin: Polovtsian Dances
Classical - Released by Corona Classics Collection on Mar 13, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: The Complete Symphonies Vol. 1
Staatskapelle Dresden, Raymond Leppard, Wolfgang Sawallisch, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Staatskapelle Dresden, Herbert Blomstedt
Classical - Released by Brilliant Classics on Jan 1, 1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3
Staatskapelle Dresden, Herbert Blomstedt
Classical - Released by Brilliant Classics on Jan 1, 1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Egmont Overture
Sir Colin Davis, Staatskapelle Dresden
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Sep 18, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Sinfonie No. 30 / Pariser Sinfonie
Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Symphonic Music - Released by Eterna on Sep 10, 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo