Basel Symphony Orchestra
The Basel Symphony Orchestra (SOB) is one of the oldest orchestras in Switzerland . The professional orchestra, with around a hundred members, plays its own series of concerts as well as guest concerts at home and abroad and is regularly involved in ballet and opera productions at the Basel Theater . The British Ivor Bolton has been chief conductor since the 2016/2017 season , Michał Nesterowicz is the first guest conductor.
history
The orchestra was founded in 1876. It falls within the year of construction of the music hall in the Stadtcasino Basel , which is still the venue of the ensemble today. Among the conductors who were or are still closely associated with the Basel Symphony Orchestra, there are names such as Johannes Brahms , Felix Weingartner , Gustav Mahler , Wilhelm Furtwängler , Antal Doráti , Gary Bertini , Walter Weller , Armin Jordan , Horst Stein , Otto Klemperer , Nello Santi , Pierre Boulez and Valery Gergiev . A whole series of important works of the 20th century - by Béla Bartók , Arthur Honegger , Bohuslav Martinů and Norbert Moret , among others - were premiered by the Basel Symphony Orchestra.
In 1997 the “Basler Sinfonie-Orchester” merged with the “Radio Sinfonieorchester Basel”. The name that is valid today was found for the ensemble: “Basel Symphony Orchestra”. Another milestone in the orchestra's history was the replacement of the long-standing organizer AMG ( Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft ) in 2012 and the simultaneous establishment of its own subscription series.
For several years now, the Basel Symphony Orchestra has shown an increasing international presence, for example with UK tours in 2014, 2015 and 2017, a Far East tour in 2010 and 2015 and a European tour with David Garrett in March 2017.
Chief Conductor of the Basel Symphony Orchestra:
- Mario Venzago (1997-2003)
- Marko Letonja (2003-2006)
- Dennis Russell Davies (2009-2016)
- Ivor Bolton (Chief Conductor from 2016)
- Michał Nesterowicz (1st guest conductor from 2016)
1st concert master is Axel Schacher , 1st concert master Soyoung Yoon . 1st coord. The concert master is Marta Kowalczyk, the second concert master is Nitzan Bartana and Yulia Kopylova.
The repertoire of the Basel Symphony Orchestra ranges from the Viennese Classic to the Romantic period to compositions of the latest modernism. New concert forms are also sought and co-productions with jazz, rock or techno acts are realized. The self-organized symphony concerts will take place during the renovation of the Stadtcasino Basel in the Theater Basel , in the Basel Minster and in the Musical Theater Basel. In addition, the SOB organizes various chamber music projects such as the cocktail concerts in the Salle Belle Epoque of the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois , the en route concerts in the Literaturhaus Basel or concerts in the various museums in the city and the Basel region. The Basel Symphony Orchestra played family and mini.musik concerts for the young and youngest audience . It offers concerts with commentary for school classes.
The Basel Symphony Orchestra works closely with the Paul Sacher Foundation in Basel . Numerous CD productions document the work of the Basel Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra under Dennis Russell Davies dedicated itself to the complete recordings of the symphonies by Franz Schubert and Arthur Honegger as well as the three Parisian ballets by Igor Stravinsky . The CD productions will also be continued under Ivor Bolton . The orchestra recorded works by Hector Berlioz and Gabriel Fauré .
Awards
The recordings A different Schumann Vol. 1–3 received the Diapason d'or in May 2004. The recording Felix Weingartner: Sinfonische Werke I also received a Diapason d'Or in September 2005. Le Sacre du Printemps was awarded the Supersonic Prize and nominated for the International Classical Music Award (ICMA) 2015. In 2016, Pétrouchka was also nominated for the ICMA.
Discography
- The Secret Fauré : Orchestral Songs & Suites
- Nuria Rial & 8 Cellists of the Sinfonieorchester Basel: Vocalise
- Igor Stravinsky : Pétrouchka
- Igor Stravinsky: L'Oiseau du feu
- Millistrade : Musical Singspiel by Marius Felix Lange and Linard Bardill
- Of Madness and Love : works by Hector Berlioz , inspired by William Shakespeare
- Franz Schubert : Symphonies No. 2 & 6
- Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps
- Philip Glass : Symphony No. 4, Heroes from the music of David Bowie and Brian Eno
- Philip Glass: Symphony No. 1, low
- Arthur Honegger : Symphonies No. 2 & 4 Deliciae Basiliensis
- Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 8 , Great Symphony in C major
- Arthur Honegger: Symphonies No. 3 & 1
- Franz Schubert: Symphonies No. 3 & 5
- A rose has sprung up: Romantic music for Christmas
- Anton Bruckner : Symphonies No. 4 & 7
- Felix Weingartner : Symphonic Works I
- Felix Weingartner: Symphonic Works II
- Felix Weingartner: Symphonic Works III
- Felix Weingartner: Symphonic Works IV
- Felix Weingartner: Symphonic Works V
- Felix Weingartner: Symphonic Works VI
- Felix Weingartner: Symphonic Works VII
- Peter Mieg : Piano Concerto No. 2 and With Night and Night (chants for tenor and orchestra based on texts by Cyrus Atabay )
- Robert Schumann : A Different Schumann Vol. 1
- Robert Schumann: A Different Schumann Vol. 2
- Robert Schumann: A Different Schumann Vol. 3
- Maurice Ravel : orchestral works
- Bohuslav Martinů : piano concerts
- Luigi Nono : Various works
- Iannis Xenakis : Kraanerg , ballet music for orchestra and four-track magnetic tape
- Klaus Huber : Black earth
- Wladimir Rudolfowitsch Vogel : Various works
- Frédéric Chopin : Works for piano and orchestra
- Thomas Kessler : Various works
- Othmar Schoeck : Penthesilea
- Symphonic Brass : Works by well-known composers from the baroque to the modern, arranged by Jean-François Taillard
literature
- Tilman Seebass: 100 Years of AMG - The General Music Society Basel 1876–1976.
- Rudolf Häusler: AMG - Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft Basel 1976–2001: A commemorative publication for the 125th anniversary.
- Hans Ziegler: History of the Basel Orchestra Society 1922–1970. Verlag Krebs, Basel.
- Sigfried Schibli: History of the Basler Orchester-Gesellschaft 1971–2003. Verlag Krebs, Basel 2009.