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.
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Mozart: Klavierkonzerte No. 15 & 21
Annerose Schmidt, Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
Classical - Released by Eterna on Aug 6, 1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
VERDI, G.: Forza del destino (La) [Opera] (Highlights) (Sung in German) (Patane)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Giuseppe Patané
Opera - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Konzertarien für Sopran und Orchester (1)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Jeanette Scovotti, Herbert Blomstedt
Opera - Released by Eterna on Jan 1, 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fritz Busch - 1919?, 1931, 1948-51
Staatskapelle Dresden, Orchester des Württembergischen Landes-Theaters, Dansk Radiosymfoniorkestret
Classical - Released by Guild Music on May 31, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 & 6 Piano Pieces, Op. 118
Sunwook Kim, Staatskapelle Dresden, Myung-Whun Chung
Classical - Released by Accentus Music on Sep 11, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"
Claudio Arrau, Staatskapelle Dresden, Sir Colin Davis
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Apr 11, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Reflection
Hélène Grimaud, Staatskapelle Dresden, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
R. Strauss : Eine Alpensinfonie op.64
Staatskapelle Dresden, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peter Schreier singt Weihnachtslieder (Remastered)
Peter Schreier, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch
Christmas Music - Released by Eterna on Sep 1, 1975
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Aria Cantilena
Elina Garanca, Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concerto pour clarinette & Sinfonie concertante
Sabine Meyer, Staatskapelle Dresden, Hans Vonk
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Oct 1, 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6 "Pastoral", 7 & 8; Overtures
Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Karl Böhm
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 1993
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concerto pour piano n° 5 - Sonate pour piano n° 28
Hélène Grimaud, Staatskapelle Dresden, Vladimir Jurowski
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fröhliche Weihnacht überall
Dresdner Kreuzchor, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Dresdner Philharmonie
Classical - Released by Berlin Classics on Nov 17, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: The Piano Concertos
Claudio Arrau, Staatskapelle Dresden, Sir Colin Davis
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 (Live From Semperoper, Dresden / 2013)
Maurizio Pollini, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 In C Minor / Strauss, R.: Metamorphoses
Staatskapelle Dresden, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lise de la Salle: A Portrait
Lise de La Salle, Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi, Lisbon Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra, Lawrence Foster, Gábor Boldoczki
Classical - Released by naïve classique on Nov 19, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Weber : Der Freischütz
Staatskapelle Dresden, Carlos Kleiber
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Nov 30, 2016
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 (Live)
Maurizio Pollini, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Oct 24, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss: Metamorphosis & An Alpine Symphony, Op. 64
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jun 7, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo