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Oslo Philharmonic

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Oslo Philharmonic, in Norwegian Oslo-Filharmonien, is a Norwegian symphony orchestra from Oslo. The orchestra goes back to the Philharmonic Society of 1847 and to the Christiania Musikerforening, co-founded in 1871 by Edvard Grieg and Johan Svendsen. In its present form it has existed since 1919. Since 1977 the orchestra has been based in the Oslo Concert Hall. It gives an average of sixty to seventy symphony concerts a year, most of which are broadcast nationwide on the radio. Since 1934 it has worked closely with the broadcaster NRK. The current principal conductor is Klaus Mäkelä.

Music and breakthrough

The history of the orchestra is closely tied to the theatre. Under Iver Holter it merged with the orchestra of the Christiania Theatre, and from 1889 it received support from the city. In 1899 the Nationaltheatret opened, where the orchestra grew to forty-four musicians under Johan Halvorsen. During the First World War a conflict arose with the theatre, and in 1919 the orchestra was re-established as Filharmonisk Selskaps Orkester, by private shareholders. The first season was shared by the conductors Johan Halvorsen, Georg Schnéevoigt and Ignaz Neumark.

Influence

On record the orchestra recorded much Romantic and modern repertoire: symphonies by Tchaikovsky, Mahler and Sibelius, Grieg's Peer Gynt, Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and Petrushka and Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite from 1959. It is an orchestra that couples its Norwegian roots with the international repertoire, and through its link with the radio it has reached many people.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to an excerpt from Peer Gynt: Excerpts from the Incidental Music and notice how the orchestra evokes atmosphere and movement, with strings and woodwinds painting scenes from the play.

Discography

Studio albums

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